


Tumblr Ficlets (Hiatus 1)

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2020-06-10 14:52:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 61
Words: 71,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19507027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: A collection of short ficlets originally posted to my tumblrFeatures multiple pairings though most are Michael/AlexAll tumblr ficlets written post Season 1, pre Season 2.





	1. Michael & Maria (Malex ref)

**Author's Note:**

> Dialogue Prompts: “I need you to see yourself as I do.” Malex

Maria looked over the rim of her glass as Michael stepped out of the bathroom tugging his shirt down over his chest. They’d been doing whatever this was for a few weeks now and in that time Michael had been strangely shy. 

They’d shared meals and conversation a plenty but nothing more than a few frankly innocent kisses. Part of her knew it was the guilt that echoed between them, stopping either from pushing for more. As long as she lived, she’d never forget the look of betrayal on Alex’s face when he’d come into the Pony looking for Michael and seen them kissing. 

She’d known what she was doing but she’d done her best to ignore it. To shove aside everything she knew about how Alex felt and listen to Michael’s blatant lies about how it was over. Alex’s face had been a slap back to reality. But Maria figured if she’d already crossed the line she might as well see if it was worth it. She didn’t think anything could be worth what she’d done to Alex but she thought she owed it to all of them to try. 

Looking at Michael now as he gathered his things and avoided her eyes after yet another lackluster evening together, she decided to stop fooling herself. Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath and let go of her barriers. Between one heartbeat and the next, everything she could possibly sense from around her came flooding in. Usually she kept her walls up to keep her sane but lately she’d had the gate drawn and the doors slammed shut to avoid the truth.

She wasn’t avoiding it anymore. And the wave of guilt and pain and _love_ nearly knocked her from her seat. The worst part was that she knew none of that love was for her. He loved Alex so much it radiated from him even when Alex wasn’t around, even when they weren’t speaking. 

“Maria?” Michael asked quietly.

Maria turned her head in his direction as she slowly opened her eyes. She gasped at the sight. Bright colors, more vibrant and _present_ than any she’d ever seen before, shone from him as if he were illuminated from behind. 

Taking a chance, she breathed. “Alex.”

Michael looked away from her but she didn’t notice. Her attention was fixed on his aura as he shone ever brighter, part of him reaching out in one direction. Maria would bet even money that if she followed that she’d run straight into Alex.

“Maria-”

She shook her head and started to slowly build her walls back up, his aura dimming by the second as she shut down her connection. “Michael, if Alex and I were trapped in a burning building, who would you save first?”

Michael’s jaw clenched and he looked away from her before she even finished asking the question.

Maria swallowed and nodded, wiping at a tear as it spilled over. 

“Maria-” Michael started, his tone apologetic.

“This was never going to be anything serious, was it?”

“I can’t be around him right now,” Michael told her. 

She scoffed and shook her head. “I know you love him. But I thought it was more of a remnant. Sort of how you’ll always love your first love. I could take not being the first choice right now as long as I had a chance at it in the future. But you didn’t even think about it, Michael.” She let out a watery laugh. “I didn’t even finish asking you the question before you’d decided.” She shook her head. “I can’t accept that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I wish you could see yourself as I do, right now,” Maria cut him off. She’d nearly built her walls all the way back up but the piece of his aura stretching towards Alex was still as vibrant as before. “Your aura is breathtakingly beautiful.” She admitted. “And it is reaching out towards Alex like he’s your missing piece.”

Michael looked at his feet.

“But you knew that,” Maria continued, looking at him. “You knew this would never be anything real because you know Alex is it for you.” The realization was crushing. She’d thrown away a lifelong friendship for nothing.

“I needed some peace. And right now Alex only brings me pain.” Michael admitted quietly.

Maria scoffed and shook her head as she wiped at more tears. “If you needed a friend, you could’ve told me that. I would’ve been there for you. But you let me think this could be more than that. That this could be something _real_.”

“I’m sorry,” Michael said again.

“I don’t care.” She knew it was harsh. Later, when she understood the situation Michael had been in she would have more sympathy for him but right now all she felt was anger. “Get out. And don’t come back.”

Michael looked at her sadly and nodded. He grabbed his hat and keys from the counter and headed for the door.

“Find a way to make this up to Alex,” Maria ordered when he had one foot out the door. He paused and looked back at her. “He loves you just as much and he deserves to be happy. So either make it up to him or leave him the hell alone. But don’t ever do something like this to him again.” Her voice was hard and Michael nodded again, understanding the unstated threat in her tone. 

As he pulled the door closed gently, her eyes caught on a picture on the wall next to the door. It was from a few months ago, that perfect day with Alex, Liz, and her mom, the three of them smiling widely, caught mid laugh. She focused on Alex’s face for a moment before her sight grew too blurry to make out his features. In her silent, empty apartment, she let the tears flow freely.


	2. Max, Liz, & Kyle (Malex ref)

“Max!” Liz’s voice was frantic when he answered the phone. “Thank god.”

“What’s wrong?” Max bolted out of bed and started throwing on some clothes and shoving his feet into his boots.

“Alex is gone!” Max froze. 

“What?”

“Kyle said he and his dad got into his yesterday and now he’s not at his cabin and he’s not answering his phone. His car’s there.” Worry and fear were equally present in her voice as she explained.

Max closed his eyes. “Did you try Michael?”

“What?” The panic was gone momentarily in Liz’s confusion. “Why would I call Michael?”

Max shook his head at his brother and finished getting dressed. “Nevermind, I’ll call him. Just- go check the junkyard, okay?”

“Why would Alex be at the junkyard at 7 in the morning?”

Max grabbed his keys and wallet and left the house. “Just check there before getting too worried, okay? If he’s not there, I’ll call Sheriff Valenti and we’ll look for him.”

“Okay.” He heard her take a few deep breaths. “Okay. I’ll check the junkyard.”

Max hung up on her without another word and quickly called Michael. He tossed the phone into his passenger seat when it went straight to voicemail. He raked a hand through his hair as he sped towards the edge of town, replaying Liz’s call in his head. He forgot sometimes that no one else knew that Michael and Alex had maintained a relationship for the last 10 years. That if you wanted to find either one you had to check both Alex’s cabin and Michael’s trailer before getting worried. He’d thought that with Alex finally back in Roswell they’d be more open about it but the two were as tight-lipped as ever. 

He pulled up and parked next to Liz’s car in front of Michael’s trailer just as she and Kyle were getting out. 

“Hey!” She called as he slid out of his own car.

“You sure Alex would be here?” Kyle asked dubiously. 

Max shrugged as he marched up to the door with a quick look around. Michael’s truck was parked off to the side and there were a few beer bottles scattered by the lawn chairs. He glanced back at Liz and the obvious worry on her face made him forget one very important lesson he’d long ago learned.

Without thinking, he threw open the door and was up the short set of stairs in seconds. 

He froze when he turned to face the main part of the trailer as he was forcefully reminded of just _why_ he always, always knocked. 

Michael had Alex pinned against a wall, Alex’s legs wrapped around his waist and both were very, very naked. The three men stared at each other in surprise for a second before the yelling begin.

“What the fuck, Max?!” 

“Get the fuck out!”

“SORRY!”

Max turned tail and fled, the door crashing shut behind him.

“Is Alex okay?” 

Liz’s voice and hand on his arm pulled him into a sudden stop halfway to his car. He stared at her dumbly for a second but apparently that was a second too long as she whirled around and ran over to the trailer.

“Liz, no!” He shouted as she pulled the door open. He watched helplessly as she got halfway instead before turning and leaving.

“Sorry!” She yelled over her shoulder with a laugh. 

“Is he okay?” Kyle asked.

“Oh yeah he’s fine,” Liz answered with a chuckle. 

Kyle looked between them and back at the trailer. A second later the whole vehicle rocked and a loud moan emanated from it and Kyle let out a quiet “oh” as the realization dawned.

“How long has that been going on?” He asked with a smirk at the still green expression on Max’s face.

Max shrugged and headed for his car. “High school.”

“What?!” Kyle and Liz exclaimed in unison. 


	3. Malex (ft Jesse Manes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malex: “Excuse me. I have to go make a scene.

“Captain Manes!”

Alex turned slowly at the title. His father glared at him from where he stood beside several older gentlemen in fatigues. Each of the men bore their rank proudly and each of them far outstripped Jesse Manes to Alex’s amusement.

Alex stepped to the side to let a family pass by before he walked over to join them.

“Sir,” he greeted respectfully with a nod. Technically he should salute but his enlistment was up at midnight and he didn’t care anymore.

“How have you been Captain?” One of the men greeted, his arm outstretched.

Alex shook it and gave a small smile. “I’ve been good, sir.”

“Rehab going well?” Another man asked.

“Yes sir.”

“Good, good.” The first man said. “We didn’t mean to interrupt your evening Captain just wanted to say hello. We’ve all heard of some of your accomplishments since you’ve been in Roswell and it’s nice to have a face to put to the name in the reports.”

“The Air Force is sorry to lose you, Captain.”

“Thank you, sir.” Alex said, hiding a smirk. The only major accomplishment he’d had in Roswell was shutting down Project Shepherd for good which meant these men were to here to decide his father’s future. Jesse fidgeted where he stood as Alex’s smirk grew.

Alex gave another respectful nod and started to step away. He didn’t get far before Jesse grabbed his arm and stepped in close to hiss in his ear under the guise of a fatherly embrace.

“You will be on your best behavior this evening, Alex.” His voice was low and it sent chills up Alex’s spine as he remembered the pain that used to follow that particular tone. “If I go down, there won’t be anything stopping me from going after those monsters.”

Alex glanced over at Michael unconsciously before he turned and stared at Jesse. It was only for a moment before he pressed his beer into his father’s chest.

“Don’t worry, dad. I’ll stop you,” he hissed back with a smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go make a scene.”

He tore his arm from Jesse’s grip and headed straight for Michael. Part of him was worried that what he was about to do would not go over well considering they’d been teetering the line of friends or more for months without falling on either side. But one look at the worried expression on Michael’s face as he looked behind Alex to Jesse reassured him.

“Hey Cowboy!” He called when he was halfway to Michael. Several people turned to look and he felt his father’s eyes on his back. “Come here.”

Michael eyed him but took a step towards him. When they were in touching distance, Alex reached out a hand and looped his fingers through Michael’s belt loop and tugged him in flush as he used his other hand to dig into his hair and knock the cowboy hat off his head.

He felt Michael’s surprise as he crashed their lips together but it was only for a moment. Alex didn’t even have time to worry he’d made a mistake before Michael’s arms were wrapping around him and he was returning the kiss with fervor.

Distantly, he heard their friends whoop and cheer and he practically felt his father’s eyes burning through him but he didn’t care.

He was right where he belonged.


	4. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malex + “I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you!”!

Alex paused and took a deep breath, his hands clenching at his sides. He didn’t want to do this. He could think of few things he’d like to do less than this, actually, but Michael hadn’t left him any other choice. 

With a quick glance at the parking lot to confirm that Michael’s truck was there, he pulled open the door to the Wild Pony. The noise hit him immediately and he regretted doing this on a busy night. Deftly, he wound his way through the crowd towards the table in the back Maria usually set aside for friends. 

As the crowd parted, Alex couldn’t contain his groan as he realized it was a full house tonight. Not only was Michael there but so were Isobel, Max, Liz, newly returned Rosa he really should have spent more time with, Maria, of course, and Kyle. Alex closed his eyes briefly before walking up to them. The conversation stuttered to a stop as they saw him approach.

“Alex!” Liz exclaimed brightly when she saw him. She glanced quickly between him and Michael and Maria but pushed through. “Grab a seat!” 

Alex shook his head. Kyle sent him an apologetic look but he waved him off. So what if they were all friends and here together and he hadn’t known about it. That had been his choice. Ever since Michael and Maria started dating and everything with Max worked out, Alex had steadily pulled away from everyone. It had been his choice. Didn’t mean it didn’t sting though.

“Thanks, Liz, but I’m not staying.” He sent her a slightly apologetic smile. She hadn’t really done anything wrong and he felt bad that their friendship was almost entirely in the past now but that happened. “Just need to talk to Michael.” He finally looked at the man only for Michael to look away.

“Alex-” Maria started softly.

“Two minute conversation and then I’m leaving.” Alex cut her off.

She sighed. “You don’t have to leave.” 

Alex laughed harshly before he could help it. “Yeah, I do.”

She flinched away and Michael’s jaw clenched. “Hey, don’t be an ass.”

Alex wanted to laugh, the idea that Michael was defending Maria from him, but he couldn’t. It still hurt too much to think about why.

“Two minutes.” He repeated.

Michael shook his head. “We don’t have anything to talk about, Alex.”

Alex scoffed. Just because Michael didn’t want to talk didn’t mean they didn’t need to. “Guerin-”

“If you’re not staying, then you should go.” Michael cut him off. The rest of the table was silent, watching the two men. Maria looked like she wanted to jump in but held back.

Alex shook his head. “We need to talk. I have been trying to call you for weeks to set up a time. I’ve even been out to your trailer a few times to try and catch you but you’ve been avoiding me. That’s fine, but we still need to talk. So you can come with me outside for two minutes or I can do it here.” 

Michael shrugged and waved him on.

“You don’t want me to do this here.” Alex warned.

“Why not? It’s not like you two have any more secrets.” Isobel laughed lightly, trying to dispel the awkwardness. It didn’t work.

A sick part of Alex twisted with glee as he arched an eyebrow at her before facing Michael. The man didn’t seem in a hurry to move so Alex nodded.

In a fluid motion, he lifted the large envelope he’d brought with him and opened it up, sliding the papers out and holding them on top. He flopped them down on the table in front of Michael and tossed a pen on top of them.

“Sign the fucking divorce papers.”

The table was silent. Michael stared at the papers with a blank face while everyone else stared at them in shock. Maria shifted away from where she’d been pressed along Michael’s side and looked between the two men and the stack of papers on the table.

The Dissolution of Marriage in bold letters was pretty hard to deny.

Alex waited a beat but Michael didn’t move to pick up the pen. “You need to sign in like five places so chop chop.”

Michael looked up at him and something twisted in Alex at the utter shock on his face. Did he really think it would never come to this? 

“Alex-” Maria said softly.

“Just sign it, Michael.” Alex cut her off. He really didn’t want to hear it right now. This was not how he wanted to do this. Not at all.

“Alex.” This time it was Michael. 

Alex picked up the pen from the stack and held it in front of Michael’s face.

Michael stared at it but didn’t take it. “We should talk.”

Alex laughed cruelly. “But we don’t have anything to talk about.”

Michael glared at him and took the pen. He shoved to his feet, almost knocking the table over and bumping into Alex, scooped up the papers and pushed past Alex. He snaked a hand back to grab Alex by the elbow but Alex shook him off and watched as Michael fled.

He shook his head and closed his eyes, taking in a few deep breaths, before turning to follow.

“Alex,” Kyle touched his arm to stop him. “Since when are you two married?”

Alex glanced at all of the curious faces behind Kyle, every one of their friends who minutes ago thought they knew everything about Alex and Michael’s relationship now stared at him in surprise. “Since it was legal in New Mexico.” He pulled his arm away and went after Michael.

Outside, he had to scan the parking lot for a moment before picking out Michael’s shadow in the back, leaning over the liftgate of his truck. Alex wandered over slowly.

“What the fuck was that, Alex?” Michael asked as he neared.

Alex shrugged. “I tried calling and texting. I’ve spent enough time at the junkyard to know that you neither work or live there anymore. You didn’t leave me any other options. And I tried to get you to come outside in the first place.”

“Since when are you all gungho about a divorce?” Michael bit out as he finally looked at him. His eyes were red but his face was angry.

Alex laughed mirthlessly. “What did you think was going to happen, Michael?” He tilted his head to catch Michael’s eyes as he glanced away. “You could go play house with Maria and I would sit on the sidelines patiently waiting my turn? That when you two fizzled out, I’d be there to give it a shot?” 

Michael looked at his feet and Alex shook his head. 

“You know, I did at first. I was ready, Michael. I was so fucking ready to finally do this for real and I _told you that_. But you left me waiting while you went to Maria. And I cannot explain to you how much that hurt. But I held out hope that maybe it was just a fling. Something to get out of your system before we made it work. I thought, maybe a few weeks, maybe a month or two and then we’ll work it out.” Alex wiped at the few tears that fell but otherwise he ignored them. “But it’s been almost a year. And I can’t keep doing this. The fact that we are still married has given me hope. Hope that someday, somehow we’ll get our shit together.”

Michael’s jaw clenched and he breathed deeply but he didn’t say anything so Alex kept going.

“Do you know every time I try to hook up with someone, I compare them to you? Because I feel like you’re still an option.” Alex shook his head. “I can’t do it anymore. I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you! Pretending that we’ll get back to where we used to be because that’s not going to happen. And I have had to accept that.” He pointed to the papers laid out on the truck bed. “That’s the first step. Severing things between us for good. So please. Sign the papers.” 

“Alex,” Michael said softly. He looked at the papers and shifted them around. “I don’t want to.”

Alex scoffed. “You’ve moved on Michael. Let me do the same.”

“I don’t-”

“Well I do!” Alex cut him off. “Please, please just do this for me. I need to get this taken care of.”

Michael looked at him in surprise. “ _Need_ to? Why?”

Alex glared at him, honestly contemplating telling him it was none of his business but he was tired. And he was done. “I’m leaving in the morning. My enlistment ended last week and Chad got me a job at his company so I’m moving.”

“You’re leaving Roswell?” Michael took a step toward him but stopped when Alex flinched back a half step.

“Yes.” Alex said simply. “There’s nothing for me here, Michael. Only memories.”

“Alex, don’t leave because of me.”

“I’m not,” Alex shook his head at Michael’s arrogance. “I might have stayed for you. But I’m leaving for me. Now sign the papers so I can put all of this behind us and start new. Please.”

Michael clenched his jaw and visually tried to will away the tears that spilled over. He searched Alex’s face before nodding and signing the papers without another word.

“That’s it, huh?” He handed them to Alex.

“Yeah,” Alex agreed softly. “That’s it.”

Michael leaned in and pulled him into a hug. Alex stiffened at first, unsure of letting himself relax into this but eventually he returned it. They stood silently, squeezing each other tight, swaying softly and ignoring each other’s and their own tears. After a long moment, Michael pressed a gentle kiss to Alex’s temple and pulled away.

“Be happy, Alex.” He whispered. “You deserve it.”

“So do you.” 

Alex took a few steps back without looking away before finally turning and heading for his car. A hand on his elbow stopped him halfway.

“So this is the whimper, huh?” Michael said as he turned him slowly.

“Yeah.” Alex told him. “This is the whimper.”

“What if I don’t want it to be?” Michael asked urgently. Alex cocked his head and eyed him curiously.

“What do you want it to be? Go out with a bang? While your girlfriend’s inside?”

“I don’t want it to end at all.”

Alex almost told him to fuck off but stopped. “Maybe it was never going to work. We held on to something that didn’t really matter because we didn’t know any better.”

“Alex-”

“Or _maybe_ we’re still two dumb kids who don’t know how to make this work.” Alex stepped in close, noting idly that Michael’s hand was still on his elbow. “I love you, Michael. I always have and I always will. But I can’t do it like this anymore. You want me? Earn me. Just like I need to earn you.” He shook his head softly. “We can’t do that in Roswell. Too much shit has happened here and I can’t stay anymore.”

Michael opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything. He wasn’t going to leave Roswell.

Alex nodded. “Goodbye Michael.”

Michael’s hand fell away as Alex turned and got in his car. Michael followed his car out of the parking lot and Alex watched in his rearview mirror as his image grew smaller and smaller until Michael faded away entirely.

—-

“I’m coming!” Alex yelled as he grabbed his crutches. The banging on the door didn’t stop, though. Alex grumbled as he maneuvered around the boxes he still hadn’t unpacked despite having lived here for over three months. He cursed as he stubbed his toe into the wall and had to limp to the front door, the banging continuing all the while.

“What?!” He yelled as he swung the door open. 

Michael stood on the other side, his fist raised to continue knocking.

“Michael?” Alex asked in shock. He hadn’t seen or heard from Michael, or anyone from Roswell other than Kyle for that matter, since he’d driven away. “What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?”

“Chad told me,” Michael answered. “Can I come in?”

Alex stared at him a moment longer before nodding and stepping back to let him inside.

Michael wandered through his small condo with a curious eye, poking and prodding at some of Alex’s keepsakes. Alex let him for a moment before his curiosity got to be too much.

“Michael?” He asked again.

Michael turned and flung his hands out in a wide gesture. “I got a job at a mechanic’s shop a few miles away. They’re letting me park the Airstream out back so I’ve got a place to live and I enrolled in the local community college.”

Alex stared at him. “That’s great, Michael. But why-”

“Because I’m earning you.” Michael cut him softly as he crossed the room to stand in front of Alex. “If you’ll let me.”

They had a lot to discuss. And even more to work through. But Michael was _here._ And that was a damn good start.

“Okay.” Alex breathed.

“Okay?”

Alex nodded. “Okay.”

They stood there in the middle of the room with wide grins on their face, staring at each other silently like idiots and Alex’s heart felt lighter than it had in years.


	5. Mylex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m scared. What if someone finds out about us?” - Mylex

Alex sagged into Michael’s side, his left hand reaching him over to tangle with Michael’s. It had been years now and yet the unblemished skin still surprised him at times. He ran his thumb over the side of his hand to distract himself as Michael pressed a kiss into his hair absently as they both focused on the large screen in front of them.

On Alex’s other side, Kyle sat stiffly, rejecting both of their wandering hands as they reached for him. Alex let him be for a while, content with Michael’s arm draped over him, hoping that Kyle would relax with time.

He didn’t though.

At the intermission, as everyone around them hopped out of their cars and went wandering for food or bathrooms, Alex glanced up at Michael. In a single look they came to a mutual decision.

Alex straightened up as Michael hopped down from the lift gate and moved to stand in front of Kyle. As Michael rested his hands on Kyle’s jittery knees, Alex rested his own hand overtop Kyle’s. Their boyfriend started to pull away from them, flinching just enough that both of them let go and gave him his space.

Kyle closed his eyes and went back to twisting his empty water bottle into an unrecognizable shape. “I’m scared, okay? What if someone finds out about us?”

Alex and Michael exchanged a look before Michael rolled his eyes. Alex glanced around at the crowd milling around them. Not a single person even looked their way. And while they weren’t currently touching Kyle, it was still a fairly intimate position. One that three friends likely wouldn’t find themselves in.

“Kyle,” Alex started, slightly exasperated.

“The people who matter already know,” Michael cut him off softly. He put his hands back on Kyle’s knees and started rubbing circles with his thumbs. “Our friends, your mom - they know and they don’t care. Sure it’s unconventional but it works for us and that’s all that matters. And look around,” he gestured with his head and Alex watched as Kyle followed his gaze into the crowd. “Everyone’s too wrapped up in their own little world to give a shit about us.”

“If it bothers you we can go or give you space.” Alex offered but Kyle was shaking his head before he even finished speaking.

“I don’t want to go. I want to be here. With both of you.”

“Ok.” Alex agreed softly, Michael nodding along with him.

Kyle nodded, some of the tension easing from his shoulders.

“And if it makes you feel better,” Alex continued, “there’s really no reason to be afraid. If anyone has a problem they’ve gotta deal with me and Guerin. And if god forbid they get through us there’s the Sheriff and a Deputy waiting their turn.”

“Hah,” Michael snorted. “Like Liz, Maria, or Izzy would ever let anyone close enough for that. They’d deal with the small minded assholes before we even knew they were there.”

Kyle laughed. “That’s true. We’ve got our own little private army don’t we?”

“Yeah we do.” Alex agreed, ignoring the army mention for now. He’d bring it up later.

The last of the tension faded from Kyle’s body and he slumped forward into Michael’s grip, the alien’s arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders as Kyle hugged him tight. Alex rubbed at his back gently until the movie started up again. This time they all scooted back until they were pressed against the window. The size of the truck pushed them up against each other until they were simply a tangle of limbs, have to really say where one ended and another began.


	6. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “For fuck’s sake, guys! We’re NOT dating” - Malex (but they are dating)

Michael grinned as he looked around the room. Next to him, Isobel and Maria were quickly getting into a heated debate about something that he didn’t understand. He’d tried to follow along but it involved too much psychic-ness for him to process. Watching the two of them get more and more animated as they clearly enjoyed the back and forth was far more entertaining, to be honest. He knew it should be weird, watching his sister and his ex-girlfriend flirt right in front of him but so much of his life was weird that he just brushed it off.

Across the room, Liz and Kyle were trying to be overproductive older siblings to Rosa. Every time Rosa grabbed something to drink, one of her two younger siblings would snatch it out of her hand with a glare. Michael was trying to decide over/under five minutes before Rosa lost it on both of them. 

Next to them, Alex, Max, and Cam seemed lost in a conversation about some kind of weapon. Michael wasn’t entirely sure which one, only catching every third word or so from where he stood, but they were all smiling so he assumed it wasn’t a weapon meant to wipe out all aliens on Earth.

They’d gotten rid of that when they’d dismantled Project Shepherd for good. Hopefully, at least.

All of that was behind them now. Jesse Manes, Noah, Max being dead, all of it. They’d suffered through it all and made it out the other side somehow and Michael was insanely grateful. But more than that, he thought idly as he let his eyes rake over Alex’s form, he was grateful that he hadn’t completely fucked over his relationship with Alex in the midst of all the madness.

It had been touch and go there for a while, especially after Caulfield and Michael dating Maria, but that was all in their past. Now, they were friends. Actually, really friends for the first time in their relationship. And it was great. It let them have days like today.

Michael sipped his beer without looking away from Alex. The other man had shown up at his door early this morning and whisked him away on a whirlwind tour around Roswell. Notably, their old haunts. It had been a gorgeous day and Alex had planned a picnic out in the desert where they used to go play guitars, even bringing two guitars with him so they could play together again.

Michael closed his eyes briefly at the memory. It was only a few hours ago but he already knew it was a memory he’d cherish forever. 

“Oi!” Liz called as she joined his little group. “Stop ogling your boyfriend.” She teased.

Michael rolled his eyes. The rest of them had taken to making cracks about their relationship lately and it was starting to annoy him.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” He shot back.

Liz gave him a look of disbelief. “Right, right. You’re just ‘friends’.” She made air quotes with her fingers.

“We are.” Michael insisted. 

Isobel and Maria both scoffed, finally tuning into the new conversation happening right next to them. Michael glared at them. “We are.”

“I hate to be the one to break it to you, Mikey,” Liz put a patronizing hand on his arm. “You two are in a relationship. Congrats!” She took a sip of her beer while Maria and Isobel nodded and made noises of agreement.

“For fuck’s sake, guys! We’re not dating!” Michael yelled and the room went silent. Michael winced before looking at Alex. He had paused with his beer halfway to his lips as everyone turned to stare at him. He looked at Michael then at everyone else and shrugged.

“We’re not.” He agreed. “We’re just friends.”

Cam snorted. “Friends. Right. Yeah, totally.” She shook her head slightly as she gave them both a mock thumbs up.

“We are.” Alex insisted quietly.

“Uhuh,” Cam answered. “You know what I do for all of my friends? I plan a surprise birthday party just for them even though they have two siblings just so they don’t have to share a party.” Michael’s eyes widened as he watched a blush spread over Alex’s cheeks. He hadn’t known that the party tonight was Alex’s idea. He’d just assumed it was Isobel’s. Or maybe Maria’s. “Oh! And I definitely, absolutely, always plan a super romantic picnic just the two of us in the middle of an entire day of plans with just the two of us because I can’t bear to not spend their birthday with them. That’s exactly what I do with all of my friends.” She glared at Alex as he started to fidget. Around the room, their friends were smiling and laughing. Some tried to be polite and hide it behind their hands but some, like Liz and Kyle, were just outright chortling. 

After a beat Alex shrugged again. “Ok fine. Maybe we’re dating.”

“Maybe,” Kyle agreed sarcastically.

“Hey, don’t I get a say in any of this?” Michael butt in teasingly. Except the way Alex froze told him that Alex didn’t take it as a tease. 

Michael rolled his eyes and put his beer down on the table before rounding the couch and crossing the room. Alex watched him approach but didn’t say anything or move towards him.

“I don’t remember you ever asking me out.” Michael said softly, ignoring everyone else. “I was kinda hoping for flowers. Maybe some chocolate? You said when we did this for real we were going to do this right. Dating me without me knowing it doesn’t seem right.”

The tips of Alex’s ears turned bright red as he glanced towards the kitchen. Across the room, Kyle sputtered as he tried to hold in a laugh. Michael just raised an eyebrow as Alex took a sip of his beer. 

“There uh-there might be flowers in the kitchen,” Alex admitted softly when he put the bottle down next to him.

“Oh yeah?” Michael asked, a grin spreading slowly across his lips.

“We gotta do it right, right?” Alex shrugged one shoulder as he stared at Michael’s lips.

“Right,” Michael agreed softly as they collided together. 

He thought he might have heard a whoop behind him as he cupped Alex’s face and felt his fingers in his curls but he ignored it in favor of savoring the taste and feel of Alex’s lips. As the kiss dragged on, he started to hear some grumblings from their audience but he only tilted Alex’s head for a better angle as they kept kissing.

Finally, a shove at his shoulder forced them to break apart. Michael turned to glare at Max, the effect ruined somewhat by his kiss-swollen lips and mild panting, but he thought his point came across. Max shook his head at him and looked away. 

“Save it for later. Please.” He begged mildly. “When we’re all gone.”

Michael swung an arm around to point at the door.

“Thanks for coming. Have a good night and drive safe!” Alex told them all as he dug a hand into the waistband of Michael’s jeans and pulled him back in.

Michael was helpless to resist as he fell back into Alex’s arms.

Later, when they finally broke apart long enough to speak, the room was empty, everyone having taken their cue and fled.

“Happy Birthday,” Alex told him softly. He pressed another quick kiss to his lips before adding, “old man.”

“Old man!?” Michael pulled back, offended. “I’m 29!”

“Yeah and I’m 28. Which makes you the old man.” Alex retorted, a grin playing at the corners of his lips. Michael started to object but Alex stole the words right out of his mouth with another hungry kiss. 

“Lucky for you, I like older men.” 


	7. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re nothing like him. Malex prompt please.

The silence was deafening.

Michael stared across the room at Alex and watching in horror as the man crumpled before him. His face fell, that impersonal mask he worked so hard at failing him completely in this moment. His shoulders curled in on themselves as he stuff his hands in his pockets. Before his very eyes Alex seemed to shrink two sizes.

And it was all Michael’s fault.

Michael took a step towards Alex but froze as he flinched away from him. Alex had never done that before and Michael hated himself more in that moment than he ever had. He’d made Alex afraid of him. 

“Alex-” he tried softly but Alex shook his head and edged his way around the room. 

“You should go,” Alex told him.

“Alex,” Michael tried again. “I’m so-”

“No.” Alex’s voice was firm even as the rest of him wasn’t. “You’re not a-” Alex cleared his throat and looked away. “You’re not a prisoner here, Michael. You wanted to go so go. Nothing’s going to stop you.”

He kept edging around the room until he reached the hallway and took a step back into it. Michael watched, bile rising up in his throat, as the bravest man he’d ever met fled from the sight of him.

“ _You’re just like your father! Jesse fucking Junior! How does anyone tell the difference?”_

Michael’s words still rang in the air. He wasn’t even sure how’d they gotten to that point. He’d spent the past few days locked in the cabin’s underground bunker as Alex helped him detox from the copious amounts of acetone he’d been consuming daily and he’d finally pushed his way out looking for a bottle only to find Alex standing in his way.

Things had been said, by both of them to be sure, but Michael ended the argument. As soon as the words left his mouth, he’d recoiled in horror. But that was nothing compared to Alex’s reaction. Alex was horrified but he also looked like Michael had shot him. Like his words were a bullet that no vest could stop. He’d compared Alex helping him detox to Caulfield. The idea of an alien behind locked doors and a Manes holding the key was too much for his mind in his addled state.

Except now he was suddenly clear headed for the first time in days. Nothing had ever sobered him up as fast as his own words had. 

Michael glanced at the front door and pondered what lay behind it. His truck was outside with the keys sitting on the front seat. He could be out of here in seconds, far away from Alex and his own fuck up and closer by the minute to more acetone.

A moment later, he was pushing the door open slowly. When nothing happened, he pushed it wide and stared at the empty bedroom beyond. He rounded the bed to make sure but the room was empty. 

Alex wasn’t here.

Michael hurried through the rest of the house searching for him but didn’t find a trace. It was like he had disappeared. Michael stood in the middle of the kitchen and grabbed at his curls as he looked around aimlessly. A broken sob carried through the open window and Michael threw open the door to the back deck and froze. 

Alex was pressed into the corner of the deck, the siding from the house no doubt digging into his back and he tucked his good leg up under his chin and hugged his arms around it. His eyes were red and his cheeks were red and his breaths were labored.

Michael watched in horror as Alex struggled to take a deep breath and hold it. Alex had told him that he’d gotten panic attacks after his first tour but he’d never seen one. He could only imagine that it looked a lot like this. He shook himself out of his stupor and hurried over to Alex, crouching down in front of him but not touching him.

“Alex,” he said softly, reaching a hand out. Alex flinched away but otherwise made no signs of recognition. After a beat, Michael settled himself on his knees next to Alex and braced himself on the side of the house as he leaned slightly over him. “Breathe with me, okay?” He counted out seconds as he slowly inhaled and exhaled and eventually Alex started to breathe with him.

It was still a long while before Alex calmed down enough for Michael to feel comfortable moving away. He didn’t go far but just enough so that he wasn’t on his knees and he was no longer hovering.

“What are you still doing here?” Alex asked, his voice rough.

“You’re nothing like him,” Michael stated.

“Yes, I am.”

“ _No_ , you’re not,” Michael retorted sternly. He reached out and gently gripped Alex’s jaw until he turned and looked at him. “You are nothing like him and I never should have said you were. Nothing could ever be further from the truth.”

“I locked you up-”

“I asked you to.”

“I’ve lied to you and I’ve hurt you.”

“You’ve never laid a hand on me.”

Alex gave him an apologetic look. “There are plenty of ways to hurt someone without touching them.”

Michael closed his eyes briefly. “Have you ever hurt me intentionally? Have you ever set out to hurt me? Do you enjoy hurting me?”

“No, of course not.” Alex protested.

“Then you’re not like him.” Michael told him. “He’s a monster, okay? He gets off on hurting you. On hurting my people. He is small minded and dumber than shit and he is so far beneath you he doesn’t deserve to know you.” Alex tried to look away but Michael held firm. “You are the kindest person I know, Alex Manes. You go out of your way to help other people even when it hurts you. You try so hard to make other people’s lives easier. You practically killed yourself for months trying to help me and my family and for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. Because you couldn’t stand aside and let people suffer.”

“That’s not the only reason,” Alex protested quietly.

Michael rolled his eyes. “Ok yeah so you also did it so you could bring down your piece of shit father and brother. But that’s understandable.”

Alex looked away. “I tried to take the path of least resistance and it turned me into him.”

“ _Nothing_ could turn you into him. You are so much better than him in every way. Even in your worst moments on your worst day, you’re still ten times the man he could ever dream to be.” Michael told him earnestly. “I was in withdrawal and out of my mind and I’m still reeling from Caulfield and I wanted to hurt you, to make you feel as terrible as I did so I said something truly awful but I didn’t mean a word of it and if I could take it back, I would.”

“Maybe you were just finally being honest.”

Michael paused and let Alex tear his chin away from his grasp. With a sigh he looked out at Alex’s view. “That wasn’t me being honest. You want to hear honesty? I love you so much I feel you in my soul. And yeah, sometimes I look at you and I see the things your family has done to me and mine. But I know that wasn’t you, that you would never do the things they’ve done. It just hurts like hell sometimes being around you. Between that and all of the shit we’ve put each other through ourselves, it’s easier to be angry. It’s easier to push you away and keep my distance because this back and forth we’ve been doing hurts. You’ve hurt me, Alex. And sometimes I want to hurt you back. To make you feel what I felt every time you gave me hope and then walked away again. But mostly? Mostly I just want you to be happy. And we seem to make each other miserable more than anything else. So when I get the opportunity to lash out, to push you away, I take it. To try and make it easier on both of us.” His voice was barely a whisper by the end of it but he knew Alex heard him.

“I thought about that,” Alex said after a long silence. “After that day I waited outside your trailer.” Michael tensed. They didn’t talk about that day. About the weeks he spent with Maria until she realized he was trying to use her to forget Alex and promptly threw him out of her life. He and Alex had had to interact because of Project Shepherd and bringing Max back and now trying to get Michael to detox but they’d never spoken about _that_. “I thought maybe it was for the best. Too much had happened, mostly bad and awful and worse. My family and I had hurt you too much to really let us be happy so maybe we should just go our separate ways and give up on whatever this is.”

He paused and the two of them watched the sun creep towards the horizon.

“Was that it?” Michael asked eventually when Alex didn’t continue.

“Is what it?”

“We agree? We’ve hurt each other too much?”

He felt Alex shrug. “Probably. But as much as it’s probably best for us to be apart, I don’t know that I can do that. You said you feel me in your soul, well you’re in mine too. You’re a part of me, for better or worse I don’t know how to be me without you. It’s like I’m incomplete when we’re apart.”

Michael hummed in mild agreement as he dropped his head sideways to lean on Alex’s. 

“We’re a fucking mess.”

Alex let out a startled laugh. “Yeah. We really are.”

“We should probably do something about that.”

“Probably.”

Silence.

“Later, though, yeah? The sunset’s kinda nice out here.”

“Later.”


	8. Michael & Alex (Miluca ref)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been since you slept? Malex prompt please.

“How long has it been since you slept?”

Alex started at the voice, his head snapping up and his body tensing. He didn’t turn around.

“Beauty of a bunker is you don’t have the pesky sun bothering you.” He answered.

He could _feel_ the eye roll. He still didn’t turn around.

“Alex.”

Alex hummed in response, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard as his eyes flitted between screens. He’d been down here for a while, he knew, but there was so much more to Project Shepherd than he’d thought and he just kept uncovering more and more and more and he couldn’t walk away. Not when more innocent people might be being tortured right now.

His chair turned without his say so and a noise of protest erupted from his throat. 

“Alex.” 

He finally dragged his eyes up to look at his intruder. Michael looked worried, his eyebrow furrowed as he gave Alex a once over.

“You look like shit.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”

“That’s not-” Michael stopped and dragged a hand over his face. “Alex, it’s been over a week since anyone heard from you.”

Alex shook his head. “Kyle was here the other day.”

“The other day?” Michael asked incredulously. “That was almost two weeks ago! He’s been out of town at a medical conference for the past week and a half.”

Ok, that was worrying. He’d lost track of time before when he’s deep into a project but nothing this bad. He waved a hand.

“Fine. I’ll sleep or see the sun or whatever.” He turned his chair back around. “You can go now.”

“Alex.” This time his name came out in an exasperated huff.

“Really, Guerin. You don’t need to be here.” Alex looked between the screens as he tried to remember what he’d been working on before Michael came in. His chair turned around again before he could figure it out.

Michael grasped both arms and leaned over Alex. “You need sleep. And food. And a fucking shower.”

“What do you care?” He sounded whiny now and he hated it. He was _this_ close to crossing his arms and huffing. He manfully resisted.

“You’re an idiot.” Michael’s voice was fond. 

Michael waited a second to see if Alex had anything else to say but when he Alex stayed quiet he moved his hands from the arms of the chair to Alex’s arms. Gently, he wrapped his hands around Alex’s biceps and hauled him up to his feet. Alex swayed as he did, suddenly vividly aware of just how long he’d been sitting. He reached out to grab Michael’s shoulders in an attempt to steady himself. 

They stood there for a moment while Alex shifted his feet and reacclimated to the prosthetic. 

“Okay,” he admitted softly, “maybe I need to take a break.”

Michael chuckled. “Yeah, maybe.”

Alex glared at him before carefully separating himself. Their position was too familiar for their current relationship status of who the fuck knows.

Michael eyed him as Alex turned around and started securing the computers. He didn’t move away until Alex finished and straightened up. Alex raised an eyebrow when he turned to find him still so close.

“Gotta make sure you actually leave and take care of yourself, right?”

Alex huffed as he stepped around him and started putting together his bag. “No you don’t actually. It’s not your responsibility.”

“Alex,” Alex wished his name didn’t sound so good on Michael’s lips.

“What, Guerin?” Alex asked calmly. “I’m not your responsibility.” He restated.

“So I can’t care about my friend?” Michael asked harshly, obviously offended. By Alex’s words or his tone, he wasn’t sure.

“Of course you can. But you’ve done the friend thing.” He looked up at him. “You jolted me out of my funk. I’m going home to sleep and eat and shower. So you don’t have to hover. I don’t need a babysitter.”

Michael took a step towards him but stopped. “Maybe you need someone to take care of you.” He said quietly.

Alex closed his eyes. “Maybe I do. But that’s not you. Remember?” He couldn’t resist the parting shot. They were doing better. It had been a hard few months of rebuilding their relationship once Michael started dating Maria and made it clear he and Alex didn’t have a future as a couple but they were finally settled on something close to a friendship. And while Alex’s friendship with Maria hadn’t recovered so well, he’d never invite anything more from Michael while they were together, no matter how much he ached to.

Michael swallowed hard and looked away. 

Alex sighed and took a step towards him and grabbed his left hand. The smooth skin still bothered him for some reason but he’d been trying to be better about acknowledging it. He gave it a quick squeeze.

“Thank you for coming down here.” He said. “I needed it. But now I am very tired and I need to go home.” He gave another squeeze before dropping Michael’s hand. “You should too. You don’t look so hot yourself.”

“Fuck you, I’m always hot.” Michael retorted automatically and Alex couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah. You are.” Alex replied with a smirk. For a moment, they were caught up in each other’s gaze, neither looking away until Alex cleared his throat and grabbed his bag. “But seriously, Guerin. You look like you could use a good night’s sleep almost as much as I’m sure I do. So go home. Sleep. Tell Maria I said hi.”

Michael nodded slowly, a strange look on his face, and gestured for Alex to leave first. Alex did, hearing Michael turn off the lights as he followed him out. Michael kept a close eye on him, watching as Alex got into his car and drove away.

Alex watched Michael fade from view in the rearview mirror, something warm in his chest as they kept an eye on each other as long as possible. Still not looking away.


	9. Malex (Flinthamilton ref)

“Captain,” Michael greeted oddly as Alex joined the group squished around a small table at the Pony.

Alex raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. Michael had never called him by his rank before.

“Wow, what did you do?” Liz asked jokingly.

Alex shrugged. “Something wrong Guerin?” He asked as he took a seat. 

Michael shook his head, a bottle pressed to his lips as he tried and failed to hide a smile. “Nah. Just thinking how funny it is that your brother’s name is Flint. What if it had been your name instead? Instead of Captain Alex, you’d be Captain Flint.” His eyes twinkled as he stared Alex down. Alex barely contained his groan as the rest of the table glanced between them with interest. He glared at Michael but Michael didn’t say anything else, just smiled angelically back at him.

After a moment when neither man said anything, Max butt in. “Didn’t think you were a Treasure Island fan, Michael.”

“I’m not.” Michael answered easily. “Never read it.”

Max looked confused. “Then why the Captain Flint comment?”

Michael shrugged and looked back at Alex, an amused gleam in his eye that Alex ignored as he took his drink from Maria and downed it.

“Okay,” Max said slowly. “Though I suppose Long John Silver would be a better comparison. What with the-” Max stopped himself as Alex turned his glare on him. Beside him, Michael choked on his beer as he started laughing.

Slowly, the conversation that had been going before Alex arrived picked back up and the rest of the night passed smoothly enough, though Michael did slip in a few pirate jokes that had Alex grimacing and the rest of the table looking confused.

They stayed late enough that Maria had to kick them out and they staggered into the parking lot in various states of drunkenness, Alex mostly sober while Michael was not. 

While they hadn’t exactly picked things back up, they’d been creeping closer to it and so Alex felt no hesitation in pouring Michael into his car and driving him back to the cabin.

When they got home, Alex turned the car of but didn’t move. The drive had been silent and Alex was praying the peace would continue. 

“Lieutenant.” Michael’s voice echoed in the car as he turned to Alex with a sly grin. He had pronounced it the British way and Alex closed his eyes and thumped his head against the steering wheel. 

“When did you remember?” He forced out quietly. Because they never remembered at the same time. Hell, they never remembered all of the same lives. Right now, Alex could recall seven different lives and only two of them matched up with any of the nine Michael remembered. Well he supposed now three of them matched up.

“A few days ago. Came in in bits and pieces.”

Alex’s head lolled as he finally looked at Michael. Michael’s face was soft with wonder as he reached out and brushed Alex’s hair out of his face. 

“You’ve really got a thing about going to war for me, huh?” Michael asked quietly after a moment, his fingers playing with Alex’s hair and rubbing the tip of his ear.

Alex closed his eyes and made a noncommittal noise. He really didn’t need to answer. Their histories spoke for themselves. Time and time again, Michael had a knack for getting himself into trouble. And every time, Alex was determined to save him, no matter the cost. Sometimes, he pulled it off. Sometimes he didn’t and had to watch Michael suffer and die. Those were his least favorite lives.

“First the British Empire and now the US Government.” Michael continued, his voice full of wonder as he shifted in his seat to face Alex more fully. 

“That was hardly the first time.” Alex protested.

“I know.” Alex kept his eyes closed as Michael grasped his face with both hands and pressed their foreheads together. “But it was the first time we lost each other and then found each other. Ten years. Ten years with nothing, not even knowing if the other was alive.”

A pained noise came from Alex as he remembered. He remembered the pain and the heartbreak. But he also remembered the moment he saw him again. It was like a dream, both then and now. Something so impossible it couldn’t be real, except it was.

Here they were again, coming back together after ten years apart. It may not be as smooth a reunion as their previous one, but they were working it out.

Alex shoved his hands into Michael’s curls and cupped the back of his head.

“We made it then. We’ll make it now.” Alex whispered.

Michael closed the gap and pressed their lips together softly. “Aye aye, Captain.” He said when they parted.

Alex groaned and pulled away, shoving open the car door and stepping out, Michael’s laughter ringing in the night air.

“How many pirate jokes am I going to have to suffer through?” He asked as Michael’s door opened and his head popped out.

“Oh only a few.” Michael assured him. Alex sent him a look of disbelief. “A day,” he quickly amended.

“For how long?”

Michael shrugged as he walked over to him and grasped his hips. “Forever?”

“You shouldn’t say that,” Alex warned with a smile on his face. “With us, it really will be.”

“I’m okay with that.”

“I’m not!”

Michael pulled away but Alex reeled him back in. “I will agree to pirate jokes in this life only. Not any future ones.”

Michael pretended to think for a moment before nodding. “Deal.”

“Good,” Alex leaned in for a quick peck. “Now, m’lord-”

“Oh no,” Michael shook his head. “None of that Lord crap.”

“Well if I’m Captain Flint, then you are Lord Hamilton. Whether you like it or not.” Alex teased and Michael groaned.

“Ok fine. I’ll keep the pirate jokes to a minimum.”

Alex grinned as Michael captured his lips for a moment, both smiling too widely for it to be a decent kiss.


	10. Malex (Max POV)

It was loud. 

That was the first thing Max really registered. 

He’d awoken to a world in chaos. Around him, people were screaming and the earth was shaking, pieces of it lifting into the air like their little group was trapped in the middle of a tornado.

“What-” Max started to ask as he tried to sit up. A firm hand in the middle of his chest pushed him gently back onto the ground.

“Please don’t move,” Kyle told him.

Max looked at him for the first time, surprised to see the man fussing over him.

“What’s going on?” Max finally got out.

Kyle glanced up for a second before focusing on him. “You brought Rosa back to life but almost managed to kill yourself in the process. We stuck you in a pod until Michael and Isobel figured out a way to bring you back.”

“But they can’t heal,” Max protested.

Kyle shrugged as he performed more tests to assure himself that Max was okay. “Noah said that all of you could access all of your powers so they worked at it until they managed to access yours. It took both of them but here you are.”

“But then what-” he gestured weakly to the chaos around them.

“Yeah,” Kyle laughed weakly. “Apparently there was a side effect of tapping into previously unknown power. Michael’s kind of losing it.”

Max took in the tornado and the quaking ground with a new eye. “This is all Michael?”

“Yup.” Kyle popped the p as he helped Max to sit up. They had to duck to avoid a large boulder flying past them. 

“Max!” Isobel’s voice was frantic but laced with relief as she ran over and slid to the ground next to him.

“Hey,” he greeted as she pulled him into a tight hug. “How do we get Michael to stop?”

Isobel’s face fell as she looked over her shoulder to where Max presumed Michael was. “I don’t know that we can. His control has been slipping lately and this seemed to give him a huge power boost that he can’t control. Maria’s trying to get him to calm down but anytime someone gets close he just throws them back.”

“Maria?” Max asked, confused.

Isobel nodded. “Yeah they’ve been dating since you-” She cleared her throat. “It’s been a long couple of months. More than a couple really.”

“How long?” Max asked, his brow furrowed.

Isobel started to answer before letting out a cry and clutching at her head.

“Iz!” Max yelled and reached for her. Kyle stopped him, trapping his arm against his body before he could touch her.

“Don’t!” The doctor warned. “You’ve got to let her get through it. You touch her, you get sucked into her mind too and it just makes it a whole lot worse.”

Max stared at him incredulously. “What the hell?”

Kyle looked at him apologetically. “You’ve been gone nearly eight months, Max. In that time, Michael and Isobel have stretched their powers pretty far. A lot of it has proved helpful but not all of it.” He eyed Isobel worriedly. “Sometimes progress is bad.”

“Michael,” Isobel gasped out as she shuddered and let her hands fall.

“Iz?” Max reached for her again as Kyle’s hands fell away.

“It’s so much,” she told him. “The noise. And the chaos. It’s all in Michael’s head and he can’t get it to stop. Bringing you back was like uncorking the bottle. He’s been holding back so much lately that now he can’t.”

“So what do we do?” Kyle asked just before he flung himself on top of the twins and threw them all to the ground. A wave of rocks spun over their heads. A few pieces sliced across Max’s back and cut through his shirt to rake open his skin. He hissed in pain and noticed Kyle and Isobel doing the same.

“Are you okay?” He shouted over the sudden roar as more and more of the earth around them started lifting into the air.

“We have to stop Michael!” Isobel cried as she looked up. This time, Max followed her gaze until his eyes found Michael.

A fair bit away from them, his brother stood in the middle of the storm, a perfect eye of calm surrounding him as his body shook. Max watched his hands clench and unclench as he visibly struggled for control. Nearby, Liz crouched over a prone Rosa, blood on the rock behind them from where it appeared Rosa had crashed into it. In front of them, Maria was yelling at Michael, the words snatched by Michael’s storm as she got shoved back again and again.

“Where’s Alex?” Max asked.

Isobel and Kyle both shot him confused looks, though Kyle’s was a bit more calculating.

“Alex?” Isobel asked. “Why do you care?”

“We need to get Michael to calm down.” Max stated. “Alex is probably the best bet.”

Isobel shook her head. “I told you, Michael’s been dating Maria for months. I don’t think he’s even seen Alex since they started up.”

“Alex has been really busy keeping the Air Force off your backs,” Kyle explained. “None of us have really seen him in a while.”

Max shook his head. What they were saying didn’t make sense. He knew how Michael felt about Alex. It wasn’t something that just went away.

Isobel cried out again before he could say anything more. She clutched her head for a moment before forcing herself to her feet and staggering towards Michael.

“Michael!” Max heard her shout distantly, though she was barely a few feet from him. “You have to stop!”

Max rolled his eyes. Like Michael wasn’t already aware of that. He turned over onto his hands and knees and prepared to stand before Kyle halted him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I texted Alex as soon as he started.”

Max turned to stare at him but Kyle only shrugged.

“Their relationship is so fucked right now you don’t even know but you were right when you said Alex is our best bet at getting Michael to stop on his own. Otherwise we might have to do something drastic.” He looked sick at the thought but Max knew he was right. If Michael got any more out of control, he could kill all of them. “We just need to buy time until Alex can get here.”

Max nodded and shoved to his feet. He had to take a few steadying steps to regain his balance but after a moment he was following Isobel’s steps towards Michael.

“Baby, please!” He heard Maria shout as he neared them. “You have to calm down! Max is okay! It’s done! It’s over! You can rest now!”

Her pleading, and the tears streaming down her face, had no effect on Michael. It was like he couldn’t hear her. Max wondered idly if he could hear anything. Now that he was closer he could see that Michael’s eyes were squeezed shut and he was taking deep, harsh breaths like he was trying to calm himself. 

It wasn’t working.

“Michael!” Maria called again as she took a few steps forward. She nearly broke through the calm barrier surrounding him before Michael’s power flung her backwards towards Max and Isobel. The two stopped and crouched next to her, Isobel helping her sit up with an unexpected familiarity that tore at Max’s gut. He’d missed so much.

“I can’t get through to him,” Maria sounded hopeless.

“If you can’t then we have to try some other way to stop him,” Isobel warned.

Maria sagged in her arms and shook her head. “I can’t even get close to him.”

Max stood up, his shoulders hunching against the increasing wind as he took a step towards Michael. Isobel’s hand shot out and grabbed his ankle, stopping him in his tracks.

 _If Maria can’t get through to him, no one can_ , Isobel’s voice rang in his head. _She’s the only one he lets in enough to calm him down when he loses it._

Max looked between his brother and his sister. Isobel had never given up on Michael before. He can’t imagine what the past eight months have been like for her to do it now. _Has he ever lost it like this?_ He asked her.

She shook her head. _He’s always had such good control that even when we started pushing our boundaries he never completely lost it._

Max turned and stared at Michael. He judged the distance between them carefully and eyed the debris flying around them at increasing speeds. By now, it wasn’t a question of avoiding getting hit, it was a matter of avoiding getting hit somewhere important hard enough to stop him. He already had an untold number of cuts and bruises but he’d escaped getting hit in the head.

A blur of motion to his left caught his eye and his heart clenched as he saw Liz crouched down low and speeding towards Michael as fast as she could go. At first it looked like she might break through but Max knew otherwise. He stepped out of Isobel’s grasp and hurried after Liz.

“Liz, no!” He yelled but it was too late. He watched as her body was flung backwards until she hit the ground hard by Rosa, Kyle already hurrying her way. Max was too preoccupied watching her to realize his own precarious position. 

Michael reminded him of it a moment later as a boulder spun into his leg with a sickening crunch and Max fell to the ground hard. He cried out and clutched his leg, already feeling the blood seep through his jeans.

“Michael!” He called faintly, turning towards the man. He was so close now he could see the tears streaming down Michael’s face and the white of his fists as he clenched them even harder.

Somehow, over the deafening roar of Michael’s storm, Max heard a gun cock.

He whipped his head around to see Isobel staggering to her feet, a pistol clutched in her grip.

“No!” He yelled. He wasn’t sure Michael would survive both of his siblings shooting at him. And Isobel wasn’t the greatest shot in the world. She may aim to hurt Michael but she could easily end up killing him instead.

Her arms wavered as she aimed the gun and Max wished for the first time ever that he’d been born with Michael’s power and could tear the gun from her hands. 

Except the gun was gone.

Max blinked his eyes against the grit and stared at his sister uncomprehendingly as she gaped at their new arrival.

Alex Manes stood next to her, Isobel’s pistol clutched loosely in his hand as he let his arm hang at his side. Max watched as he said something to Isobel, his face twisted in anger, before he turned and walked steadily towards Michael. 

Max tried to call out a warning as another massive boulder flew right into Alex’s path but the words caught in his throat as it swerved around him. Actually, now that Max was focused on him, he noticed that Alex was walking easily through the storm, almost as if it wasn’t touching him at all. 

Alex walked past him and Max had to crane his neck a bit to watch as Alex broke through that barrier that had tossed them all back. He dropped the gun to the ground stepped up close to Michael. His lips were moving but Max didn’t have a prayer of hearing what he was saying. All he could do was watch as Alex cradled Michael’s face oh so gently and rested his forehead against Michael’s.

Slowly, the world started to quiet. The storm slowed and slowed some more, the larger rocks falling back to the earth while the smaller ones continued to spin. 

Max watched as Michael’s body started to sag, the tension fleeing him as his own chaos quieted in Alex’s presence. When Michael finally unclenched his hands and wrapped them around Alex’s waist and pulled the other man flush to his body, the last of the storm faded away.

In the sudden silence, Max could just make out Alex’s continued whisperings. He still didn’t know what he was saying but he didn’t need to.

Max’s body sagged with relief for a moment, everyone watching the two men in awed silence before the effects of Michael’s storm caught up with them. 

Max cried out in pain as he tried to stand, forgetting his recent injury. Kyle’s voice rang out calling for someone to call 911 and get an ambulance for Rosa and Liz. Michael collapsed utterly into Alex’s arms, the other man stumbling at the sudden weight as Michael’s legs gave out but he helped him gently to the ground as Maria stumbled over and thrust a bottle of acetone at them, her cell phone pressed to her ear as she called for help.

Isobel’s hands pressed at his shoulder gently until Max rolled onto his back with a pained groan. She looked him over quickly before pressing her hands to his face.

“Welcome back.”

Max laughed helplessly, the adrenaline of the past few minutes catching up to him as he tried to process everything.

“Good to be back.”


	11. Malex (ft Maria)

Michael winced as the door slammed shut loudly.

“Wow.”

He started at the sound of Maria’s voice and whirled around. He’d completely forgotten that she was in the room.

“That could have gone better,” Michael admitted gracelessly as he hung his head. Alex had come over to bring Maria something from Liz and walked in on them as Maria was settling on Michael’s lap. It had been a few weeks since everything but it was the first time the three of them had been in a room together and Alex had been justifiably upset.

Michael closed his eyes as he remembered Alex’s words. The worst part had been how calm he sounded, how resigned. Like he had expected this. For them to fall apart so completely. Michael couldn’t deny that it hurt. He’d been hoping for more of a fight even though he knew he didn’t deserve it. Not anymore.

Without thinking, he turned and stared out the window of the front door. Alex hadn’t left yet. Hadn’t even gotten in his truck yet, was leaning against the side of it with his head hung low and Michael’s eyes raked over the tense lines of his back and shoulders, noting the small quake of his upper body like he was shaking.

“I’m an idiot.” Once again Maria’s voice took him by surprise. He turned and looked at her sheepishly as she shook her head.

“Why?” He asked, confused.

“You’re in love with him.” Maria stated it easily, like it was an undeniable fact.

“It doesn’t matter.” Michael tried to brush it off.

Maria scoffed and rubbed at her eyes with a groan. “Why didn’t I see it?”

Michael’s brow furrowed. “You did? You knew we had a thing.” That was the first thing they talked about.

Maria laughed harshly. “I knew you had a brief thing in high school! I thought that was all it was! That your lingering feelings were because of that you never forget your first love crap. I never would have started anything if I knew you two were in love. Present tense not past.”

Michael took a step towards her but Maria backed away.

“You don’t even know do you?” She asked incredulously. “The way you two look at each other. It’s like he’s your whole world. Like he’s the only thing that matters. A fucking bomb could’ve gone off and I don’t think you’d look away.” Her voice quieted to nearly a whisper. “You forgot I was even here, Michael. Not ten seconds earlier we were making out and Alex walked in and you _forgot I was here_.”

Michael wished he could defend himself. Offer her some kind of comfort. But he knew it was true. When Alex was around he sort of lost focus on anything else. Even Maria.

He’d thought she’d known that though. When they talked she told him she knew he was important to Alex and she didn’t want to start anything serious until she’d talked to him. Michael just assumed that meant everything was out in the open. Watching her wipe tears away now he knew how wrong he’d been.

“I’m sorry.” He told her sincerely.

Maria scoffed. “Thank you. But an apology isn’t going to cut it. I thought we were trying to buld something real here. And you never intended that did you?”

Michael opened his mouth and closed it again.

Maria nodded. “You should go. Maybe talk to Alex, I don’t know. But you shouldn’t be here. Not for a while.”

Michael swallowed and nodded. He picked up his hat and left without another word. He paused with his hand on the door, about to look back to see if she was sure when he caught sight of Alex through the window.

He was still there. He was leaning back against Michael’s truck with his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the door, obviously waiting for Michael.

Michael stepped outside and let the door swing shut behind him as he stopped and met Alex’s eyes. The other man stared him down with an arched eyebrow but no other expression on his face. Or none that Michael could read anyway.

It was only a few strides from the door to the truck, close enough that they could talk without having to shout and yet neither man said a word until Michael closed the distance.

“You’re an asshole,” Alex greeted when Michael was barely a foot away.

“Ok.” Michael agreed easily. He had his moments, he knew. Whichever instance Alex meant now, Michael was sure he was right.

Alex rolled his eyes and looked pointedly at the door behind him.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Michael apologized.

“Which part? My best friend straddling you with your tongue down her throat or you telling her that she basically meant nothing to you?”

Michael’s eyes widened. “I never said that.”

“Not in so many words,” Alex agreed. “But you let her get that impression and didn’t tell her anything different.”

“I’m an asshole.” Michael sighed with a regretful look at the door. He’d apologized but it wasn’t enough. He would have to do something to make it up to her. In the future. She had requested space and for now he’d give it to her.

“You are,” Alex agreed. “But so am I.”

Michael looked at him in surprise.

Alex shrugged, almost unapologetic. “I thought it might be something more than it was and I ws still coming back in to fight for you.”

Michael’s eyes widened. “Why?”

Alex took a step closer until they were so close together they were sharing breath. “I love you. And we’ve spent too goddamn long apart and fighting this to not even give it one real chance when we’re actually here together. I told you I don’t look away and I won’t. Not until you tell me to.” Alex cocked his head and searched Michael’s eyes. “And I don’t think you’re going to tell me to. Because you love me as much as I love you.”

“Alex,” Michael whispered. “It’s too hard. What if I want something easy?”

“Then find it with someone other than my best friend.” His voice was hard before it gentled. “And when you’re ready for something real, come find me.”

“It might be a while.” Michael warned.

Alex shrugged. “It’s my turn to wait for you I guess. I only ask that you don’t take ten years to figure it out. I want us to have some good years together while we’re young enough to enjoy them.”

“You sound so sure we’ll work it out.”

Alex quirked his lips. “What can I say? Once you have something cosmic, nothing else could ever measure up.”

Michael huffed a quiet laugh, slightly embarrassed by Alex quoting him. “But really Michael, I don’t care how hard it is or how long it takes, I want this. And I’m ready for it.”

Michael nodded, acknowledging the seriousness of what Alex was saying. But he couldn’t keep a straight face for long and after a moment, his lips quirked and he had to try and stifle a laugh as Alex groaned and looked away.

Michael cleared his throat. “Well I’m certainly happy to hear that you are ready and wanting for something hard and long, but-”

Alex shoved at his shoulder and Michael stopped talking. Both of them had wide smiles on their faces though, the serious mood broken by the sudden levity. Michael closed the gap that had formed between them and gripped Alex’s jacket as he quieted down.

“But really,” he told him, “I don’t know how long it will take until I’m ready for this. But I do want it.”

“Ok.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Just ok?”

“What else do you need me to say? Ball’s in your court.”

Michael nodded. His eyes tracked Alex’s tongue as he wet his lips but he resisted the temptation and took a step back instead of pressing forward.

“I’m sorry,” he told Alex. “For Maria. And for shutting you out and for standing you up after you said you wanted to talk.”

“Thank you,” Alex said quietly. “I forgive you.”

“Alex, you don’t have to-”

“Remember when I said we barely know each other?” Alex cut him off. Michael nodded slowly. “I was wrong. I may not know your favorite food or your favorite color but I know _you_. And I know why you did it. Was I hurt? Yes. Was I angry? A little bit. But I understood. I understand. And so I forgive you.”

Michael couldn’t help himself. He gripped Alex’s jacket in one hand and tugged him into a kiss, his other hand cradling his jaw. As their kisses went, it ws fairly tame, not leading to anythinng more, but it was full of everything neither one of them could put into words.

Alex broke away first, gasping for breath. “That can’t happen anymore.”

Michael stared at him, wide eyed. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t want easy. And until you’re ready for more, this can’t happen.”

Michael swallowed and nodded. “Okay. But when I’m ready? We’re not going to take it slow are we?”

“Hell no,” Alex denied.

Michael laughed. “Okay.” He took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

“I guess I’ll see you around?” Michael asked cautiously.

Alex smiled. “Don’t be a stranger, Guerin. You have my number.”

They stood there smiling at each other for a moment longer before Alex pressed a kiss to his cheek and walked away.

Michael watched him go, appreciating the view. He appreciated it more when Alex looked over his shoulder at him twice as he left, not able to resist another look.


	12. Michael

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There is depiction of someone trying to harm themselves

The first time someone noticed it was a wrench. 

“Michael?” Liz asked as she walked over. 

Michael changed his grip on the wrench and straightened up. “Hey Liz.” He took the milkshake she offered with a smile. “What brings you by?”

Liz eyed him worriedly, her eyes flicking between his face and the tool. “Maria said she hasn’t really heard from you lately so I thought I’d come by.”

Michael laughed. “Ah so you’re here as my girlfriend’s best friend rather than my brother’s girlfriend. That’s a change.”

Liz rolled her eyes and shoved at his shoulder. “I’m here as _your_ friend, Mikey. I’ve missed you too. I feel like I haven’t really seen you since we got Max back.”

Michael shrugged. “Had to catch up at work. Spent too long swanning off to save Max that I needed to pick it up just to avoid getting fired.”

Liz nodded. “Well I brought lunch.” She held up the paper bag. “So let’s eat!”

Michael pointed her toward his circle of lawn chairs. He dropped the wrench with a backwards glance as he followed.

“Mikey,” Liz asked after they’d eaten.

Michael hummed.

“What were you doing with that wrench?”

Michael froze but shook it off quickly and shot her a smile. “Working? Heard of it?”

Liz didn’t smile. “You had your hand down on an empty table. There wasn’t anything there to fix.”

“What do you think I was doing, then?” Michael asked, his voice hardening.

“Were you-” She stopped herself. “Were you trying to hurt your hand again?”

Michael laughed. “Why the hell would I do that? I just got it fixed.”

Liz still looked uneasy but Michael changed the topic and she didn’t bring it up again.

—

The second time it was a car door. 

Michael held his hand on the frame for a second too long as he let the door swing shut, using the motion to gauge where he could best place his hand.

He looked up after the door closed to see Maria had already rounded the car and was looking at him oddly.

“You ready?” He asked, holding out his right hand for her to take. They’d decided to try branching out from nights at the Pony and go to an actual restaurant. Their attempt at a relationship had been stalling out and both were hoping that trying new things, more couple-y things would help.

“What was that?” She asked, not taking his hand.

“What was what?” He asked innocently. 

Maria gave him a hard look. “The door.”

Michael glanced at it then back to her. “It’s a door.”

“Michael.” She looked worried and Michael hated it but he continued to brush her off.

“Maria, it’s a door. I’m not sure what you think the problem is. Come on,” he grabbed her hand, “I’m hungry.”

She eyed him the rest of the night and watched him closely every time he so much as walked through a doorway but she didn’t bring it up again.

—

The third time it was a wall.

Michael wasn’t even sure it would work but it was something new to think about.

He brushed his hand against the concrete wall of Max’s house and turned it so that the outside of his hand hit it first as he thumped it lightly. 

“What are you doing?” Max’s voice was hard.

“Testing the integrity of the wall.”

“Michael.”

“What?” Michael barked as he turned around. He clenched his left hand without thinking and had to hold back a grimace as he uncurled it slowly.

Max watched with a careful eye as he stepped closer. “Liz and Maria mentioned they’d seen you about to hurt your hand but I thought they were imagining things.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to hurt my hand Max.”

“Then what are you doing?”

Michael clenched his jaw. “Thinking about it.”

Max’s eyes widened. “What the hell, Michael? Why?”

“Because it looks fine.” Michael told him simply as he started to rub at it. “It still hurts same as always. But the skin’s all pretty and healed now and it’s fucking with me.”

Max took a step back. “I healed it.”

Michael scoffed. “You healed the evidence of it. You didn’t actually heal anything. The bones and muscles are still fucked. Still have no strength in two of my fingers. I have a little bit more mobility but that’s about it.”

“Michael, I’m so-”

“Don’t!” Michael glared at him. “Don’t fucking apologize. I asked you not to do it and you did it anyway. Don’t apologize for sucking at it until you’re sorry for even trying it in the first place.”

Max shook his head. “You said it was a reminder of how bad humanity was. I wanted to show you that it’s not all bad.”

Michael let out a humorless laugh. It was an ugly thing. “First of all, you don’t get to decide what my injury means, I do. Second, how is an alien healing my hand a reminder that humans aren’t bad?”

Max opened his mouth for a moment before closing it again. He swallowed. “So you want to hurt it again?”

Michael shook his head. “You have no idea what a mindfuck it is to feel it hurt and then look down and see perfectly smooth skin. When you were dead it was a reminder of you and it didn’t bother me as much but now with you back, I just- I don’t need the reminder of you anymore. And I don’t want my hand like it is. But I’m not going to hurt it again. It already hurts enough, Jesus. I’m not trying to make it worse.”

“But then why the wall?”

Michael shrugged. “Something to think about, I guess.”

Max choked. “Please don’t. Don’t even think about it.”

Michael didn’t say anything. He just pushed past Max and went back into the house to rejoin the group.

—

The fourth time he didn’t even really consider it.

He saw the sandpaper sitting on the workbench in Kyle’s garage and it was gone before he even fully formed the thought. 

Across the room, Alex folded it up and put it away in Kyle’s toolbox, carefully closing the lid and latching it before turning to look at Michael. There was something in his eyes that told Michael he knew what he’d been thinking even though the two of them had never talked about it. 

“Uh, guys?” Kyle asked as they continued to stare at each other. Alex waited a bit before looking at Kyle. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Alex denied. “You were saying?”

Kyle shot them both another questioning look before going back to whatever he had been saying. Michael didn’t pay attention. His mind was stuck on the sandpaper. It was perfect. It would mess up the skin without further injuring the hand. 

He was kicking himself for not thinking about it earlier when Alex was suddenly in front of him, close enough that he didn’t have to stretch to grip Michael’s chin and force him to look at Alex.

“Don’t,” Alex urged quietly. “It’s not worth it.”

Michael swallowed. “I don’t know what-”

Alex reached down and gently grabbed his left hand and held it between them. “It looks fine now but it still hurts, doesn’t it? I’ve seen you. You use it the same as before. Like nothing’s changed.”

Michael looked away. No one else had noticed. They’d just assumed it was back to perfect health.

“Hurting yourself won’t make it better.” Alex told him quietly. 

“Alex,”

Alex shook his head and dropped his hand. “We should go.”

Michael’s eyes followed him as he left the garage before turning to the toolbox. He walked over and fiddled with the latch before dropping it and following Alex.

Maybe another time.


	13. Malex (ft Kyle and Maria)

Alex was almost home when the text came through. He barely glanced at it before jerking the wheel and turning around.

It wasn’t long before he came to a stop, the trip back taking far less time than the drive out had been. Parking the car, he yanked the keys out of the ignition and threw the door open, the anger which had been simmering for weeks finally rising to the surface.

“Hey?!” He yelled as he slammed the door closed. A few feet away Michael stared at him from inside the Airstream. “Three weeks of nothing and you start off with hey!?” Alex stomped over to the door but stopped shy.

Michael looked bewildered. “Is that not a customary greeting here on Earth?” Alex stared at him until he started to shift uncomfortably. “I didn’t know what to say, okay?”

“So you say ‘hey’.”

Michael shrugged a shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hear from me. Figured ‘hey’ was safe.”

Alex glared. “Oh I wanted to hear from you but there are a lot of things you could’ve said that would be better than ‘ _hey’.”_

 _“_ I’m sorry,” Michael apologized.

Alex stiffened. “For what?”

Michael looked away. “I shouldn’t have stood you up. I told you to come back and we’d talk. You did but I didn’t. I should have called or texted or something. I’m sorry.”

Alex nodded. “You’re apologizing for standing me up.” Michael nodded and Alex scoffed. “You’re apologizing for asking me to come back to talk and leaving me hanging but not for going off and fucking my best friend while I sat here for hours waiting for you?” Michael couldn’t meet his eyes. “What would that phone call or text have said? Sorry I can’t make it, rain check? Would you have rescheduled our chat without bothering to tell me about Maria?”

Michael’s silence was answer enough.

“Fuck you, Michael.” Michael’s head jerked and he stared at Alex. Alex knew it was a low blow using his first name but he didn’t care. He didn’t care if he’d only ever used Michael’s first name during sex until now. He just didn’t fucking care. “Jesus fucking Christ, you’re an asshole.”

“Hey!” Michael yelled as he finally stepped out of the Airstream. “You’re not perfect here either.”

“I never said I was. But I never screwed around with your best friend behind your back and planned to lie to you about it!” Alex shouted. 

Michael’s jaw clenched. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Alex yelled. 

“I’m sorry about Maria. About not telling you and about leaving you for her.”

Alex huffed. “You didn’t leave me for her, Guerin. We would’ve had to actually be together for that to happen.”

Michael let out a dark chuckle. “Yeah and whose fault is it that we never got that far?”

“Mine,” Alex admitted readily. “It’s my fault. I know that. I have apologized for that. And I came here that night to try and fix it so we could finally move forward. But you went to someone else.”

“Alex, I-” Michael cut himself off as he ran his hands down his face.

Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking a step back from Michael and shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. It was quiet for a few minutes, the last of their shouts seeming to echo in the still air.

“I understand,” Alex said after a while.

Michael stared at him. “You understand?”

“Noah almost killed you, Max shot at you and then healed your hand and then killed Noah. You lost your last hope of getting answers about where you’re from and who you are. And all of that was just hours after Caulfield. You needed some peace and quiet and someone who wasn’t wrapped up in all of the horrible things happening to you and you had Maria so you went to her. I get it. I do.” Michael stared at him with naked relief. He took a step towards Alex but froze when Alex nailed him with a hard stare. “Just because I understand doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like hell. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel betrayed by both of you. And it doesn’t mean I’m not pissed off. Because I am.”

He took a deep breath and steadied himself. “But because I understand I know that I will eventually get passed this. I don’t know how long it’ll take but at some point I will stop being angry and I will get over the hurt and be able to forgive you.”

“Alex,” Michael said quietly. “I don’t know if I want or need your forgiveness. Maybe I wasn’t lying in the prison. Whatever this thing is between us, we should probably just let it go. It doesn’t do either of us any good.”

Alex stared at him for a moment before he nodded. “Maybe.” He swallowed and started taking slow steps towards Michael. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we should just let it go. But I’m in love with you.” Michael sucked in a breath. “I’ve been in love with you since I was 17 and I honestly don’t foresee a future where I’m not in love with you. You’re under my skin and in my heart, Guerin. Loving you is a part of me, a part of who I am, and I don’t see that ever changing. Now we can do nothing about it, that’s up to us to decide. But I know that I won’t be able to stay mad at you forever, not even about this. So at some point, I will forgive you. You can’t stop me.” 

By now, Alex had closed the gap and the two men were scant inches apart. Alex’s voice was soft and low, his words meant only for Michael. “I’m not going to follow you around and beg for another chance, Michael. You have to decide on your own what you want. But I am telling you that if you decide you want me, want us, then I will be here. Because I know what I want and it’s you. You’re my family, Michael. If we never have any kind of romantic relationship that will still be true. But I want one. Hell, I want everything.” Both of them were leaning into each other, like they were opposing magnets and the pull was too strong to resist. But Alex didn’t let them touch. He felt the hairs around Michael’s head brush his face as their foreheads neared each other, their breaths mingling in the space between them. But they didn’t touch. Alex closed his eyes and savored the warmth radiating from Michael for a moment longer before he pulled away. Michael swayed forward as he took a step back and had to catch himself. Alex hid a grin.

Michael stared at him with his mouth hanging open, want and love and fear and something else warring on his face. He watched silently as Alex took careful steps back to his car. He didn’t say anything and so neither did Alex.

Alex got his door open and was about to get in before he paused and called back to Michael.

“Yeah?” Michael answered, his voice hoarse.

“If you need anything, especially with Max, just let me know. I’m still on your side.” Alex promised. Michael nodded dumbly and Alex got in his car and drove away without another word.

—

“How the hell do you plan on getting that down the ladder?” Kyle asked as he plopped another box down on the deck. 

Ever since his dad showed back up in Roswell, and with Flint and who knows which of his other brothers possibly showing up too, Alex and Kyle had decided to abandon the Project Shepherd bunker and relocate to the bunker under the cabin. It was secure, and hopefully secret, enough to set up as a new base of operations for their investigations and Alex would be able to do more work after hours if he didn’t have to drive out to the old base after coming back from Kirtland for the day. There was the small problem of logistics and getting everything set up when the only entrance was a single ladder.

“What do you think you’re here for?” Alex asked cheekily as he carried over another box. They’d stripped the Project Shepherd bunker of anything useful but he’d still had to buy new hardware to really get it up and running. It had taken almost three weeks to retrofit the detox center to accommodate all of the equipment and wiring he needed but it was a useful project for taking his mind off of the Michael and Maria situation so he hadn’t minded too much. 

“I thought I was here to unload the truck,” Kyle protested weakly. They both knew Alex wouldn’t be able to get everything down there on his own. He looked around the mess of a deck and put his hands on his hips. “Tell me you have a better system in mind than me taking all of this down the ladder in individual trips.”

Alex looked up from the box he was searching through and grinned. He opened his mouth to answer when he heard the sounds of a truck rumbling up his long driveway. He looked over his shoulder but didn’t see anything just yet. “Who is it?” He asked Kyle. The other man stood on the edge of the deck facing the driveway and had a perfect view of Alex’s visitor. He looked from the car to Alex and back again. “Kyle?” Alex asked as he straightened up.

Kyle picked up the box he’d just put down. “I’m going to put these in the house.” He fled inside just as the red Chevy came into view.

Alex’s jaw clenched involuntarily. He hadn’t heard from Maria in almost two months. Not since the night Max died. Since-

She rolled to a gentle stop and turned the car off. Alex slowly stepped down the stairs as he heard the door open behind him and Kyle shuffled across the deck to grab another box.

The door closed gently as Maria stepped out of the car, an uneasy look on her face. Alex paused on the last step.

“Can I help you?” His voice was cold.

“Can we talk?” Maria asked. She looked at the two cars parked in the driveway and eyed Kyle as he came out to grab yet another box. “Or is this a bad time?”

Alex shrugged. “Not a bad time at all. But no, we can’t talk.”

“Alex,” Maria sighed. “Please?” She fiddled with her keys for a moment before dropping her hands to her sides and squaring her shoulders. “I miss you and I want us to get past this.”

Alex’s eyebrows rose involuntarily. He’d been planning on being cordial but something about the way she said that just set his blood on fire. “You miss me and you want us to get past this.” He repeated. She nodded. “Well you should have thought about that before fucking the love of my life after repeatedly telling me it would never happen again.”

Maria flinched and stared at him with wide eyes. “Alex-”

“Go home, Maria. There’s nothing for you here.”

“Alex, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” He was starting to sound like a broken record.

“I should have talked to you before starting anything with Michael.”

Alex cocked his head. “Why?”

She paused and furrowed her brow. “To clear the air?”

“Do you think I would have given you my blessing?” Alex scoffed.

Maria’s jaw clenched. “I care about him Alex. A lot. And he cares about me.”

“I know.”

“Then why-”

“Did you miss the part where I called him the love of my life?” Alex asked.

“You had an epic kiss in high school!” Maria yelled, frustrated. “It’s been long over. I get that you loved him then but it’s not like you two were together since then. Is he just never supposed to move on?”

Alex stepped down to meet her on ground level. He didn’t bother correcting her on their relationship history. “This isn’t about him, Maria. This is about you. You knew I was in love with him, you even said it yourself. And you knew I was feeling hopeful about him again in a way I hadn’t been since high school. And then you stood there and you promised me that your one night stand with him meant absolutely nothing to you and that it would never happen again.” They stared at each other for a beat before Maria looked away. “You want to be with him, Maria? Then be with him. I’m not in your way anymore. But don’t come here expecting my forgiveness.”

Maria wiped at a tear. “Michael said you told him that you would forgive him eventually.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed. “Because I understand why he did it. I’m hurt and angry but I understand it and so eventually I’ll be able to forgive it. But you? I cannot fathom why you would betray me like that. I literally cannot think of a single reason. What have I done to you to make you do that to me?”

“Aren’t I allowed to be happy, Alex? Can’t I be selfish for once and put what I want ahead of everything else?”

Alex nodded and took a step back. “Of course you can, Maria. But that doesn’t mean I have to be okay with it.”

“Alex, please.” Maria begged. “I want us to get past this.”

“We’re not going to.” Alex told her simply. He took another step back and turned around. “Goodbye Maria,” he called over his shoulder as he grabbed one of the few remaining boxes. He paused just before entering the house. “I honestly hope you’re happy.”

He set the box down on top of the large stack Kyle had formed and waited until he heard her drove away.

“That was harsh,” Kyle commented from the doorway to the kitchen.

Alex shrugged. “I left nice back in the Middle East.” He looked around the room. “I was honest with her. Not sure what else she could ask for.”

“Her friend?” Kyle said quietly.

Alex shook his head. “We’re not friends. Not anymore, if we ever were.”

“Come on, Alex, she loves you. She made a mistake.”

“Yeah. The first time they slept together, she didn’t know and I didn’t blame her for it. But then she lied to me and she went behind my back. And to top it off she waited two fucking months to come and talk to me. If it was a mistake, I should’ve been her first call in the morning after she kicked his ass to the curb. Maybe then I could’ve forgiven her, god knows I understand moments of weakness when it comes to Michael Guerin, but that’s not what happened. Two months of them playing happy couple before she deigns to say a word to me? No,” Alex shook his head. “I can’t forgive that.”

Kyle eyed him but didn’t say anything else.

“Let’s get everything else inside. I rigged up a pulley system that should get pretty much everything down there.”

“Oh thank god,” Kyle sighed as he went to grab the last couple of boxes.

—

Michael and Maria’s relationship lasted longer than Kyle thought it would, if he was being honest. It had its rocky moments when Maria learned the truth about aliens and Rosa but they got through it okay. If their smiles were more strained when they were together afterwards, it was hardly noticeable. 

It was months before Kyle really started to see the cracks in their relationship. Really, it was right around the time that Alex finally left the Air Force that the happy couple’s troubles really began.

Kyle had a sneaking suspicion that the two were closely linked. Not least of all because an Alex free from the Air Force was an Alex who had decided to embrace his former lifestyle again. His hair was longer, his pants were tighter, and the eyeliner and leather jacket were back. He also seemed lighter, like he wasn’t weighed down by the sins of his family anymore. They’d finally cleared Project Shepherd and shut it down. There were other two facilities and these they’d been able to shut down without losing any of the captives. Since his discharge, Alex spent most of his time helping the aliens kept there integrate into human society and it seemed to be doing him a world of good. He certainly seemed to be smiling more, nowadays. 

Kyle wasn’t the only one noticing all of the changes in Alex, if the way Guerin’s eyes followed him whenever he was in sight was any indication. It was like the two were in tune, somehow. Alex only had to step into the same room as Guerin and the alien’s eyes were latched onto him. Alex was the same way, his whole body tuned to Guerin’s whenever they got close.

Where Kyle might be annoyed or bothered by having to bear witness to his ex’s new relationship with someone he’d been very close to, Alex almost seemed to revel in it. After a few months, he stopped avoiding the Pony. After a few weeks of stopping in occasionally, he started dragging Kyle in more and more frequently until they were having drinks there most nights of the week. Each time, Alex’s clothes seemed to get tighter and tighter. He rarely spoke to Guerin and when he did it was mostly inane small talk or catching up on the rest of their little group. All of it seemed to be a careful orchestration with Alex pulling all of the strings. And then one night, Alex met him at the bar with his nails painted black. Kyle raised an eyebrow in question but Alex shrugged him off with a comment about trying something old again. It was only when he pulled out the nail polish remover and a cotton ball that Kyle figured it out. He smothered his grin as he watched Alex calmly clean his nails in the middle of the Pony, Guerin staring at him from the bar with a hungry expression the whole night, like an addict begging for his next hit. The man hardly seemed to notice Maria talking to him.

“You’re not playing fair,” Kyle commented with a laugh as they left that night, Guerin’s eyes trained on Alex’s ass.

Alex grinned. “Why should I?”

Kyle laughed and shook his head but didn’t comment any further.

It all came to a head a few weeks later when they decided they needed a night out. Max had been back for a while now but, even with everything settled, hadn’t had a chance to really let loose. They decided to hit up a club a town over and make a night of it. Alex begged off when it became apparent that Maria and Guerin were planning to use the night as an attempt to reconnect their fraying relationship but Kyle texted him the name of the club regardless.

He didn’t think anything would come of it. Honestly. He’d just wanted him to be kept in the loop.

He should’ve known better. Especially after the last couple of months.

They’d barely gotten inside the door when Kyle saw him. It took him a second to recognize him in the dark lighting but it was definitely Alex.

“Uh-” he started to say, his voice inaudible under the music. He chanced a glance at Guerin and snapped his mouth shut with a grin. He _could_ say something but honestly, he’d rather watch this play out.

As a group they waded through the crowd until Isobel shouted and darted forward to claim a table. 

“I’ve got the first round!” Liz shouted over the din as she detoured to the bar. Kyle followed Max, Maria, and Guerin as they joined Isobel.

Kyle tried to find Alex again but couldn’t. He had half a mind to go searching when Isobel sucked him into the conversation. A moment later, Liz appeared at his elbow with shots clutched in her hands.

“Here’s to a night out with no emergencies and no drama!” Liz toasted. 

Kyle grinned but tossed it back without a word. After that, everyone seemed to split off. 

Liz dragged Max on the dance floor while Maria and Guerin went up to the bar and ordered them all real drinks. 

Max was a bad dancer, Kyle quickly realized. Liz was graceful as ever as she tried to get him to move with her but the man was stiff as a board. Isobel tried to keep a straight face but even she couldn’t hold it forever. By the time Maria and Guerin returned, the two were laughing so hard they needed the table to hold themselves up. 

“What’s so funny?” Maria asked as she passed out the drinks.

Kyle waved at Max without a word and the two turned to see the show. 

“How can he not figure out how to dance with her?” Guerin criticized.

“Like you’re one to talk,” Maria teased. It didn’t land well. Guerin nodded and inched away from her as Maria’s smile dipped. She looked away for a moment before squaring her shoulders and plastering the smile back on. “Guess we just need to practice more!” 

Guerin nodded, his eyes scanning the crowd, looking everywhere but at Maria as he lifted his beer to his lips.

Every glass on the table and on the tables around them shattered at once.

Maria cursed as the shards cut into her hand where she’d been holding the glass as Kyle flinched back from the table.

“Michael!” Isobel hissed angrily as she leaned over the table. Kyle looked at the man in question only to see him frozen, his eyes fixed behind Isobel’s head. He turned and followed his gaze.

Alex was standing in the middle of the dance floor, the lights somehow illuminating him as he danced alone, seemingly lost in the music. He’d clearly been out there a while, if the way his hair was plastered to his head and the sweat on his naked torso was any indication. His black leather pants looked like they were painted on, they were so tight. In short, he looked like sin. Kyle wished almost desperately that he wasn’t so tragically heterosexual and could fully appreciate the image his best friend presented in that moment.

Alex’s face turned upwards, his eyes closed as another man came up behind him and put his hands on his hips. Kyle could see him smile as he started grinding on the man. 

A sharp pop brought Kyle back to the table as the lights overhead started to crack and explode. 

“Michael!” Max yelled as he and Liz came back to the table. “What the hell?”

But Michael wasn’t listening. He hadn’t even looked away from Alex. 

“Maria, we’re breaking up,” he yelled across the table. Maria stared at him as he left without waiting for her reply. 

Kyle clapped a hand over his mouth as he watched Michael wade his way through the crowd to Alex. 

He watched as Alex’s eyes snapped open and fixed on Guerin immediately, though he could not possible have known he was there until that moment. He watched as Guerin stepped up to him and removed the other man’s hands, Alex not stopping him. 

Guerin leaned in and spoke directly into Alex’s ear. Whatever he said had Alex searching the crowd until he found their table. Kyle had no idea what he was looking for but he seemed to find it.

Guerin pulled back and the two stared at each other for a beat, their bodies moving seamlessly to the music, before Alex nodded.

Well, Alex started to nod. He’d barely started jerking his head up before Guerin surged forwards and pulled him into a searing kiss. 

The confused shouts next to him tore Kyle’s attention away from the two men reconnecting on the dance floor and back to the table. Liz had her hands wrapped around Maria, rubbing her arms gently as they both stared as where Alex and Guerin were actively trying to fuse their bodies together. Max was slack jawed as he looked between his brother and his girlfriend. Kyle almost felt bad for the man, whatever romantic plans he may have had for the evening were now clearly ruined as Liz comforted her best friend. Isobel turned and ducked behind Kyle’s shoulder to hide her face as she snorted.

Kyle eyed her as she picked her head up and tried to recover. “This is better than a goddamn soap opera.”

Kyle just shook his head and resolved to contain his own feelings until at least Maria wasn’t present. He may have believed that she was awful to Alex but he knew she didn’t deserve this, to be ditched by her boyfriend as an afterthought on his way to reconnecting very publicly with his ex. He leaned over the table.

“I have a room at the hotel down the block. Do you want the room key?” He offered her. “I can figure something else out tonight.”

Maria shook her head as she gathered up her phone and purse. “I’ll figure it out. I just need to get out of here. Thank you though,” she added as she quickly fled, Liz close behind. Kyle watched them before turning to Max.

“If you need a bed, my room’s got two,” he offered. He got the feeling Maria would end up with Liz tonight and Max, as Guerin’s brother, might not be invited. Max just nodded at him before he looked back out at the dance floor.

Kyle turned as well and shook his head. If anything, the two were even closer together, their legs intertwined as they gave up all pretense of dancing.

“Seriously,” Isobel exclaimed. “Those two are better than a damn soap opera.”


	14. Malex

The alien, _the Antarian_ , gasped his last breaths and fell silent. Around him, Max, Isobel, and Michael stared in shock, unable to react.

“What just happened?” Isobel finally asked.

Michael and Max turned to gape at her, Michael shrugging helplessly while Max opened his mouth to try and offer an explanation. Nothing came out.

“No really,” Isobel insisted. “What the _hell_?”

Five minutes prior, the three of them had been enjoying a drink on Max’s back porch, soaking in the rare opportunity to sit back and relax for a spell. In the blink of an eye, the man, the Antarian, had appeared before them, bleeding heavily from a stomach wound. Without bothering to introduce himself he’d gone straight into a monologue about their collective and individual destinies and how the three of them were meant to save Antar and return their planet to its former glory. He’d called them Zan and Vilandra and Rath and stepped through their minds as he showed them his memories and his hopes for what they would achieve.

And then he’d died, mid-sentence, leaving so many questions in his wake.

“Where did he come from?” Max asked, snapping out of his stupor and looking around as if hoping to spot a vehicle they all knew wasn’t there. 

“We’re supposed to save a planet we’ve never even seen?” Isobel asked, incredulous. “What if we don’t want to?”

“Isobel!” Michael chided. 

“What?” Isobel shrugged defensively. “I’ve had enough of other aliens screwing up my life lately. I just want everything to get back to normal, not be sent off on a predestined quest to another planet to save it from itself!” 

“It’s not another planet, Iz, it’s _our_ planet,” Michael argued.

“No it’s not,” Isobel argued. “Earth is. We’ve lived our whole lives here. This is our home.”

“So you want to leave our people to suffer?” Michael stood up.

Isobel sighed and rose to her feet too. “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying I don’t think it’s our responsibility just because some guy showed up and told us it was. We don’t even know who he was or where he came from.”

Michael didn’t have an answer for that.

“Let’s worry about what he said later and try to figure out who he was first.” Max stepped back onto the patio as he spoke. “Also, who he was talking about.”

“Us, Max, he was talking about us.” Isobel rolled her eyes.

Max glared at her. “He mentioned that Zan is supposed to be king and Rath a general. Iz, I’m assuming you’re Vilandra but I don’t know which one of us is who, Michael.”

“I’m Rath,” Michael stated confidently, without hesitation.

Max eyed him with surprise. “You’re sure? You don’t think you’re the king?”

Michael shook his head, his eyes fixed on something Max and Isobel couldn’t see. “I’m Rath.” He stated again.

“Ok,” Max said slowly.

“So that makes you our king,” Isobel told him. “Your Majesty.” She gave an elaborate mock bow. Michael snorted and followed suit.

Max glared at both of them until they straightened. “I’m not a king, whatever that man said. And Michael, you’re not a general. That guy could have just been saying nonsense. Just because he was an alien like us doesn’t mean he was telling the truth.”

“I don’t know about all of it, but my name is Rath.” Michael worried his lip but his voice never wavered.

“Why are you so sure?” Isobel asked, exchanging glances with Max.

Michael shrugged. “I just am.”

“Ok then,” Isobel agreed uneasily. “How do we verify everything else he said? If we’re sure he was telling the truth about our real names, I mean.”

“We need to do something with the body,” Michael interjected. Isobel and Max looked down at the corpse almost in surprise. They’d been so wrapped up in processing what the man had said, they’d almost forgotten his body was still at their feet. “We should call Kyle or Liz. Maybe they can do an autopsy and figure out what killed him.”

Max nodded and pulled out his phone. 

—

“You really could have just dropped me off, you know. I didn’t need to come with,” Alex protested as Kyle pulled up to Max’s house and shut the car off.

Kyle shot him a look but didn’t bother to answer as he threw open his door and stepped out. He paused to wait for Alex and the two entered the house together, not bothering with knocking. They followed the sounds of raised voices to Max’s office at the back of the house.

“It’s a little funny,” Liz was saying as they walked in. She was standing close to where Max sat at his desk, a hand pressed to her mouth to try and suppress a laugh. Alex followed her gaze to find Michael perched on the edge of the couch, glaring at her. Oddly enough, Maria was on the other side of the room, her head turned towards the window as she appeared to ignore what was going on. Alex eyed the distance between Michael and Maria and tried not to read anything into it. Just because it was the furthest apart he’d seen them in months didn’t mean anything was wrong between them.

“Oh good, you’re here,” Isobel greeted as she walked past them into the room, a bottle of wine and a bottle of acetone clutched in her hands. She tossed the acetone to Michael as she settled on the couch next to him and took a long swallow of the wine. “Body’s out there,” she gestured with her head to the patio as the room fell quiet around them.

Kyle nodded slowly. “Right. And I’m not supposed to ask why you have a body on your patio?”

Max shrugged. “He showed up out of nowhere. Literally. One second there was nothing and the next he was standing in front of us bleeding out from a wound on his stomach.”

Kyle furrowed his brow as Alex glanced among the three aliens. The call for them to come over was nonspecific on the details so this was the first they were hearing about any of this. “He’s an alien?” Alex asked. “Where did he come from?”

“We were hoping you could tell us,” Max answered. “So far the only aliens on Earth have been in Roswell or locked up as part of Project Shepherd. Can you find out if there are any other sites?”

Alex weighed his answer carefully. “I can try,” he told them. “But I’ve been going through Project Shepherd files for months now and I haven’t seen anything. I’ll keep looking but I wouldn’t hold out hope.”

Max nodded. “Thanks. While you’re working on where he came from, Kyle we were hoping you could tell us more about how died.”

“How did he get here?” Kyle asked as he crossed to the door.

“They don’t know,” Liz chimed in. “Obviously there’s another alien power they don’t know about. I’m going to take a blood sample and see if there is anything in his DNA or his blood that would indicate other gifts. As gruesome and horrible as this is, I can run tests on my new serum without risking any of you.” She directed that last bit to Max, Isobel, and Michael before turning back to Kyle. “I’m not sure how much help I will be but if you need another pair of hands for the autopsy, I’m here to help.”

Kyle nodded at her in thanks as he pushed the door open and walked outside to examine the body.

“Did he say anything?” Alex asked. “While he was dying?”

Isobel hummed in response as she took a big sip of her wine. “Apparently, my name is really Vilandra while Max is really named Zan and is destined to be the King of our home planet and Michael over here,” she nudged him with her elbow, “is really Rath, the general who will lead Zan’s forces. And together, the three of us will rule the planet and restore peace and prosperity.” Her voice took on a distinctly mocking tone towards the end but Alex didn’t hear it.

Kyle came back into the room and the conversation turned back to what to do with the body outside. Alex heard none of it. His blood was rushing in his ears and deafened everything else. He honestly wasn’t even sure he saw anything really. It was like he was walking around in a daze. He heard his own voice at one point but he had no idea what he was saying. The only thing he was aware of outside of himself was Michael’s gaze boring into the side of his face. 

“You ready to go?” Alex’s head snapped to the side at Kyle’s words. The man gazed at him worriedly but didn’t say anything as Alex nodded and stood to leave (and when had he even sat down?). 

“Alex!” The pair stopped just inside the front door at Liz’s voice. Alex turned to see her following them, her body betraying her apparent nerves. 

“Yeah?” Alex asked. “Something wrong?”

Liz glanced at Kyle before speaking. “Look, I know this isn’t my place and it’s not my business and I should really butt out…”

“But?” Alex urged her on.

Liz took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you had anything to do with it, but I think it would be best if you stayed away from Maria for a little while.”

Alex stared at her in confusion. When she didn’t offer anything more he looked to Kyle for clarification but the other man was obviously as confused as he was.

“What-why?” Alex asked.

Liz sighed. “I know you and Michael are close and I think it would really bother Maria if she saw you two together now that Michael’s broken up with her.”

Alex opened and closed his mouth a few times but nothing came out.

“What?” Kyle asked from beside him. “What the hell are you talking about, Liz?”

“Michael broke up with Maria earlier,” Liz explained. “And your name came up, Alex. I’m just saying it might be kinder to Maria to give her some space and not be around her for a while, especially if there’s anything going on between you and Michael. Not that I’m saying there is!” Liz hurried to add. “Just- I don’t know, just try to be considerate of how she’s feeling?”

Alex had to laugh. It was cold and humorless but it was most definitely a laugh. “You want me to be considerate of Maria’s feelings and give her space so she doesn’t have to see me with Michael? Are you fucking kidding me? That’s-” Alex laughed again. Behind Liz, Michael stepped into the hallway but didn’t move to join them. Alex met his eyes for a beat before looking back at Liz. “I have barely spoken to Michael. And I definitely did not have anything to do with him breaking up with her. I’d like to say I’m sorry for her but I’m not that nice of a person. Now, I have some research to do. I’ll keep you all posted on what I find.”

Alex spun and walked out with a final glance at Michael, leaving a confused Liz in his wake as Kyle hurried after him.

“Are you okay?” Kyle asked as they got into the car.

Alex ran a hand over his face. “No. And no, I don’t want to talk about it.”

Kyle shot him a worried look but didn’t say a word the whole drive back to Alex’s cabin. He stayed silent as he got out and followed Alex into the house.

“What?” Alex asked when it became apparent Kyle wasn’t going to leave.

“Does anyone know about you and Michael?” Kyle asked.

Alex chuckled humorlessly. “Everyone knows, haven’t you heard?”

Kyle shook his head. “Everyone thinks they know. But does anyone know the truth? Because the myth that’s going around is that you two had a brief little thing in high school and that’s it. Which I think is total bullshit even though you won’t tell me anything. So I’m asking, does anything know the truth?”

Alex sighed as he sat down heavily on the couch. “No. Not really. Or at least, not that I know of. He could’ve told people but from what I’ve seen and heard, he hasn’t.”

“It was more than just a little high school fling wasn’t it?” Kyle asked softly. “You loved him.”

Alex huffed and rolled his eyes. “I’ve been in love with him since I was 17.” He finally admitted and Kyle’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Woah,” Kyle let out softly. “I- I’m not sure what I was expecting but-”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed.

“That was a shitty thing Liz said,” Kyle told him. “Maria never gave you space or kept her relationship with Michael away from you. Even if you were with Guerin, you wouldn’t owe her that courtesy.”

“They don’t know, Kyle. Well, Maria knows I was in love with him but I think she thinks it was one sided or all in the past or whatever. But I never told Liz a damn thing about me and him so whatever she knows or thinks she knows she got from Maria.”

The front door swung open and cut off Kyle’s reply. He spun in surprise to see Michael walking in and shucking his boots. Kyle turned to stare at Alex but Alex only rolled his eyes.

“Thanks for the ride, Kyle. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kyle glanced between him and Michael and back a few times before nodding and leaving without another word.

Michael shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels as silence fell over the cabin in Kyle’s wake.

Alex grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest as he stared at Michael, willing him to go first. 

“I broke up with Maria.”

Alex scoffed. “Yeah, I heard.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m not sure what Liz was thinking.”

“She was trying to be a good friend to Maria. And it’s not her fault she has no idea how hard it’s been for me to see you two together.”

Michael flinched. “I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.” Alex countered.

“I never meant to hurt you. That wasn’t the point.”

“Just because you didn’t mean to hurt me, doesn’t me you didn’t.” Alex pointed out. “I mean, for fuck’s sake Michael, _Maria?”_

“She was easy. Simple. She was someone who wasn’t all tied up in the whole alien thing.”

“And Caulfield.”

“And Caulfield.” Michael agreed quietly. “I needed something easy, Alex. I love you so much but sometimes it just hurts. And I wanted to stop hurting. Just for a little while.”

Alex hugged the pillow tighter and nodded slowly. “And now?”

“Now….” Michael trailed off. “Now I know my name is Rath.”

Alex closed his eyes. “You’re absolutely sure the alien was being truthful about that?”

“Well he spoke about our destinies, about Zan, Vilandra, and Rath’s destinies that is, but he was nonspecific as to who was who. I suppose it’s possible that Max is actually Rath but…” he trailed off again at Alex’s glare. “He was in our heads, Alex. I know he spoke the truth.”

Alex nodded again. “Ok.”

“Ok?” Michael asked, his eyebrows narrowing.

Alex shrugged one shoulder. “What do you want me to say, Michael? Your name is Rath.”

“Alex-”

“It doesn’t change anything.” Alex cut him off. “We still have a decade of issues and serious communication problems. And that’s just us. That’s not even factoring in the fact that my family held yours locked up for decades and then killed your mother.”

Michael flinched. “That’s not on you, Alex.”

“I know,” Alex agreed calmly. “But you can’t tell me that’s not an issue for you. That seeing me doesn’t remind you of my father and what he did.”

Michael shook his head. “You are not your father, Alex. Yeah, maybe I needed to take time to get my head on straight, but I have never thought you were your father. He is a monster who deserves to pay for everything he’s done to you and to me. You are nothing like him.” Michael’s voice was earnest but Alex couldn’t let himself believe him.

“Michael-”

“I take it back.” Alex’s eyes shot over to Michael’s in surprise. 

“What?” Alex asked.

Michael shook his head as he perched on the coffee table in front of Alex. “What I said that day outside the Airstream, I take it back.”

Alex closed his eyes as he remembered. It had been the last time they spoke, really talked. The day after Noah died, after Max died, after everything went to shit.

_“I wasn’t lying, Alex.” Michael’s voice was hard._

_Alex stared at him, his brain too busy taking in the smell of Maria’s perfume to really listen to Michael’s words._

_“In the prison, when I said I didn’t love you,” Michael continued. “You know as well as I do that I can’t love you. Not really. Not like you deserve. You’ve got someone out there waiting for you. Someone who is going to love you like you deserve. But that’s not me. It was never me and it was never going to_ be _me.”_

_“Stop,” Alex finally choked out. “Just stop.”  
_

_Michael looked away. “Maria’s safe. She’s not going to be constantly waiting for someone else.”_

_“You know I never cared about that!” Alex yelled at him. “I couldn’t give a shit about some pre-destined bullshit. I just-” He couldn’t finish the sentence. He couldn’t tell Michael that all he wanted was him. Was to love him forever. That he was already in too deep to ever come out in one piece. Not when Michael was finally ending things for good.  
_

“Which part?” Alex asked. “The part where you could never love me? Or the part where I was always waiting for someone better than you?” He glared at Michael.

Michael hung his head. “I love you, Alex. I’ve loved you since I was 17 and you made me feel safe for the first time in my life. Ever since you calmed the chaos inside me by just being with me. I wanted so much to believe that it didn’t matter that I wasn’t marked by destiny. I just wanted you. But I can’t deny that the thought never occurred to me, that you were always waiting for someone else. That that was why you kept walking away from me.” Michael’s voice got quieter as he spoke. “I shouldn’t have said any of it. No matter how true or untrue it was, it was cruel to throw that in your face.”

“Yes it was.” Alex agreed readily. “You know I’ve never told anyone else. That I only ever trusted you with it and for you to just-” he shook his head and looked away. “It hurt, Michael. Maybe more than Maria.”

“I’m so sorry.” Michael’s voice was honest and sincere and Alex had no trouble believing him. He hadn’t lied when he said Michael was a miserable liar. Alex could always tell when Michael was being honest.

Taking a deep breath, Alex tossed aside the pillow and leaned forward until he could reach Michael. Without saying a word, Alex cupped Michael’s face gently and tilted his head forward until their foreheads collided gently.

“I was always so scared of it.” Alex admitted softly. “The idea that it might be possible to love someone more than I love you terrified me because how could that even be possible?”

“It’s not,” Michael said just as quiet. Slowly, he walked a hand up Alex’s leg from where it had been perched on his knee. Alex shifted to give him space and Michael’s fingers slipped inside his jeans and his boxers in a practiced move, his fingers searching only briefly until they found what they were looking for. 

In ten years, Michael had carefully avoided ever touching Alex in one place, a small patch on right side of his pelvis. 

It was where Alex’s Mark was. According to some it was a mark of God, though others said it was destiny. Either way, it was agreed that to have a M ark was a miracle. Most people spent their lives searching for their true love, their better half. But the very lucky ones _knew_. From the day they’re born, the Marked have the name of their other half imprinted on their bodies. Not everyone finds their Named, but every once in a while, they do.

Alex had always been careful to keep his Mark secret and hidden. He wore skin colored patches whenever he might have to take his clothes off and thanked whatever higher power had created it that it was hidden by his clothes most of the time. In his life, he’d only ever told one person about it.

Michael’s finger brushed over it and every nerve ending in Alex’s body alighted. It was a rush like no other and Alex was pretty sure he came on the spot. 

When he came back down to Earth, who knows how many minutes later, Michael had gotten his pants unbuttoned and shoved out of the way so he could see the Mark clearly, his finger running over it reverently. Alex sighed and dug his hand in Michael’s curls as he gazed down at his Mark.

##  _Rath_


	15. Malex (Liz POV)

Liz started clearing the table as their little party broke up. It had been a long day (week, month, year) and people were tired. There was little fanfare as everyone shoved their chairs away from the table and left without much of a goodbye. She didn’t let it bother her. She was just as exhausted as all of them. 

She did notice Maria slink out the door silent and quick, though. Liz stared after her for a beat, worried for her friend. It had been months since Maria’s relationship with Michael crashed and burned in fiery flames after the truth had come out about everything. Liz’s own relationship with Maria was fractured right now because of the secret keeping too but it didn’t stop her from keeping an eye on her. Maria still played a part in their little ragtag group, too kind to leave innocent people in the lurch no matter how much they have lied to her over the years. But she always kept her distance from Michael, and Alex, and Liz felt a pang in her chest when she noticed it. She had been the one to encourage Maria to go for it, after all. Not that she had really understood what she was pushing Maria into, of course, but she still felt some of the responsibility for the hurts her friend was suffering.

“I’m out,” Michael’s gruff voice tore her from her thoughts as he pushed himself to his feet and raked a hand down his face. “I hope not to see you all for a while.” 

Max said something back, his tone equally dry and gruff though she knew genuine love and affection lay beneath them, for both of them. They just really sucked at showing it.

“Mikey! Wait!” Liz called as Michael started towards the door. “I need your truck, remember?” Michael stared at her blankly. “My car’s busted? You said you’d look at it but in the meantime I could use yours?” She carried on questioningly. It’s possible she’d imagined the conversation when she’d thought about asking him but she was fairly confident they’d actually talked about it.

After a second, Michael shook his head to clear his thoughts and nodded. “Right, yeah, I need to order the part.”

Liz nodded but didn’t add anything, waiting for Michael to come to some kind of decision.

Michael blinked slowly. “I have to get home. I can’t just leave you my car.”

Liz blinked. She was clearly more tired than she thought. That little problem hadn’t even occurred to her.

“Why doesn’t Liz drive you home and drop you off and then she can bring the car back here?” Max suggested.

Liz nodded and pointed to him. “Yeah, that.”

Michael huffed a laugh and shrugged. “Alright, whatever. Come on.” He waved her on and Liz smiled. Brushing a kiss to Max’s upturned lips she grabbed her purse just in case and followed Michael outside. 

He stumbled a bit, clearly more tired than she was and she grabbed for the keys. Michael stretched his hand up and grinned as she tried to reach them and failed.

“Don’t be an ass,” she chided. She gave him a little shove and walked over to his car.

“Guerin.”

Liz turned in surprise at Alex’s voice. Behind her, Michael was still for a moment before turning around too.

“Alex?” She asked as she took a few steps towards him. “I thought you left already?”

Alex shrugged but only barely glanced her way, his eyes fixed on Michael. Beside her, Michael was suddenly more awake than he’d been a moment ago, his body positively vibrating. With tension or excitement, she couldn’t tell.

Liz glanced between the two men curiously. She knew so very little about the two of them, it was almost strange to be standing here with them and no one else.

Liz still wasn’t sure what exactly the deal was with them and their relationship, if they’d ever even had one. From what Maria had told her before she started dating Michael, she’d gotten the impression that they’d hooked up a few times in high school and maybe been each other’s first love. But from how Alex reacted to seeing Michael and Maria together she knew it was more than that. Or at least, it wasn’t just something that had happened in high school. Alex had been far too hurt and angry and spent too much time and effort avoiding the two of them for it to be over a high school fling. 

Since Max died, she hadn’t really seen Alex much in a social setting. Sure, they spent a lot of time together because of alien stuff but a lot of times that felt almost like work and it was never a good time to hash out personal issues. Most of what she’d seen of Alex lately had been from afar. It was how she’d known that Alex and Michael were spending time together after the latter’s relationship with Maria blew up. She’d seen them together around town, usually with Kyle as the obvious buffer, but occasionally on their own. There was some kind of magnetism between them that was apparent even when they stood a foot away from each other. It was like their beings just ached to be together.

Liz couldn’t understand why Michael had ever been with Maria or why he and Alex weren’t together. All she knew was that they weren’t. And from she had seen, and from what Michael had let slip while he was drunk a few weeks ago, they weren’t ever going to be. They’d somehow decided that a relationship wasn’t in the cards for them.

But standing here with them both now, Liz knew that that could never be the case. She’d never felt such raw attraction or as vivid a connection as they shared. They were standing ten feet away but it was like the rest of the world didn’t exist. Liz was fairly confident they’d both forgotten she was standing there. 

And they weren’t even saying anything! Liz looked back and forth between them and marveled at how they seemed to be having an entire conversation without moving their lips, their eyes fixed on each other seemingly all they needed to communicate. 

“Wanna go for a ride?” Alex asked finally, his voice low but strong. The corner of his mouth quirked but otherwise his face was still and calm. It was as if he wasn’t sure what Michael’s answer would be and it scared him. Liz couldn’t understand why.

She jumped a little when Michael’s keys suddenly appeared in front of her, dangling from his hand. She looked from them to Michael’s face but he wasn’t looking at her. No, his gaze was fixed on Alex, his eyes lit up with a sense of wonder and amazement. Liz snatched them from his grasp, too confused to say anything.

Freed from his keys, Michael closed the distance between him and Alex in several long, quick strides. As he neared, Alex’s face relaxed and a brilliant smile started to light up his face. When Michael was close enough, Alex reached out and gripped Michael’s jacket and tugged him in the last couple of inches. 

Liz let out a little gasp of surprise when Michael didn’t go to the car, nor did he stop in front of Alex. No, Michael kept moving until his feet and legs entangled with Alex’s and his whole body pressed flush against his. Alex’s hands quickly moved from the front of Michael’s jacket to wrap around his back while Michael gripped Alex’s face with both hands and pressed their lips together.

Liz watched on in surprise for a beat before coughing slightly and edging towards the front door of Max’s house. As she opened the door she took one last look over her shoulder and stopped.

They weren’t kissing anymore but the moment seemed infinitely more intimate and tender. Michael’s hands cupped Alex’s neck while Alex’s were tight on Michael’s waist, holding them close together. Their foreheads were pressed together and both had their eyes closed. 

Liz was fairly certain she’d never seen either man look so at peace. It was like now that they were together, all of the weight they’d both taken to carrying around with them was suddenly lifted and they could just breathe again. 

She stepped inside with a small smile on her face and closed the door firmly behind her. That wasn’t a moment for her to see.


	16. Malex (ft Isobel, Max, Liz, Maria and Miluca)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Present day, Michael’s truck gets destroyed/damaged beyond repair and he looses it. People don’t understand why he’s so upset about it. Except maybe Alex. Cause me PAIN, make me cry but finish with sweet, sweet comfort and a happy ending.

He wasn’t sure how it happened. One second they were laughing, the music up loud, the next there was an animal directly in his path and he had to yank the wheel hard to avoid it. 

It might’ve been fine if there hadn’t been a series of large rocks scattered along the road side. He avoided the animal but no matter how hard he tried, he could’t avoid the rocks. The front of the truck crumpled upon contact and the momentum flipped the truck over. Michael saw the next rock about to come through the roof and concentrated enough to keep the truck flipping so that they didn’t land on it but he was helpless to do anything else. There were a few terrifying seconds while the truck rolled over again before everything went quiet.

Michael registers that his chest and arm hurt but it’s a distant thing. Whatever that pain is it pales in comparison to his heart shattering at the immediate knowledge that the truck is done. There’s no coming back from a wreck like this. Not even with his skills. 

“Michael!” 

“Mikey!” 

He hears his name but he can’t react. His eyes are glued to the hood in front of him, crumpled like an accordion, part of it dislodged enough to see pieces of the destruction underneath.

A hand shakes his shoulder lightly. When he still doesn’t respond, the hand moves to his neck, fingers pressed against his pulse. 

“Michael? Come on, Michael, look at me,” a voice urges. “Call Max!” 

His breath is coming shorter now, each inhale burning in his chest. The hand goes back to his shoulder and shakes harder.

“Mikey, look at me!” It’s the fear that gets him in the end. Liz Ortecho should never sound that scared, not about him.

He turns towards her, his neck protesting. She’s holding her right arm at a weird angle and there’s a deep gash at her hairline, the blood spilling down her face but her eyes are clear. 

“Michael?” She asked gently. “Are you with me?”

Michael nods. He glances over her shoulder to see Maria on the ground, her right side bloodied, one hand holding her knee and the other pressing her phone to her ear. 

“When did you get out of the car?” He asked dumbly. Liz sighed in relief.

“We landed on the right side and Maria’s right side was crushed,” she explained. “As soon as the car stopped rolling I got her out. I tried to get your help but you weren’t reacting. Are you okay?”

Michael shook his head but didn’t elaborate.

“Okay. Okay.” She took a deep breath and nodded. “We need to get out of the car. Can you move the steering wheel?”

The steering wheel? Michael furrowed his brow in confusion. Liz’s face took on a worried tint as she looked from his face to his chest. Michael followed her gaze and was surprised to find the steering wheel pressed into his chest. _That explained why he couldn’t breathe,_ he thought dimly. He tried to sit back but his back was pressed into the seat. There was no where to go.

Liz laid a hand on his shoulder. “Okay, it’s okay,” she said soothingly and Michael recognized that he was starting to panic. “Max is on his way, he’ll heal us up and get you out.”

“No!” Michael shouted, wincing as his chest protested. “No.”

“Liz!” Maria called suddenly, her voice laced with pain. Liz turned from him and scurried out of the car, her arm pressed carefully to her side. Michael watched as she tended to Maria before his eyes caught on something out the back window. The truck bed was destroyed. The rock he’d avoided going through the cab was now lodged in the bed, a deep crater around it. He could see from one glance that the axle was bent and the truck’s suspension and frame was twisted around it. Tears sprang to his eyes as a sob tore at his throat. Pain in his chest forced him to turn back around but the view wasn’t any better. 

“Michael!” Liz yelled. He heard her ask for something but what it was that she needed didn’t register. He couldn’t focus on her. He couldn’t spare a thought for Maria. All of his attention was locked on his truck. _His_ truck. 

“I can’t get the door open.” Michael wasn’t sure who said that. It didn’t make sense, anyway, since Liz had gotten in and out of the car just fine. 

“Michael?” A hand gripped his arm and he saw another hand reach for the steering wheel and he lost it. He didn’t have much of a grip on his powers right now but it was enough to throw the other person away from him. 

A hand on his face. “Michael, it’s just me. It’s Izzy.” Part of him slumped at his sister’s voice. “Max is just trying to get you out of the truck. Please don’t throw him again.”

“Don’t,” Michael objected softly, pushing at her gently with his right arm.

He didn’t see them exchanging worried glances over his head. Nor did he see Max’s confused look to Liz or her helpless shrug in return. He didn’t see anything but the shattered remains of his truck.

There was shifting on his right and suddenly it was a different hand on him. “Michael, baby,” Maria said softly and he spared a moment to wonder how she got into the truck with a broken arm and leg. “Michael, you’re hurt,” her voice cracked. “And we need to get you out of the truck.”

Michael shook his head. “No,” he repeated. Max came up on the left side and reached through the broken window to touch his shoulder. Michael couldn’t hide the wince and Max let go immediately. 

“Michael I can’t heal you where you are. The steering wheel is crushing your chest and I need to get you out of the truck before I can do anything,” his voice was soft. If Michael was thinking clearly he should’ve recognized that for the bad sign that it was. Max was never soft with Michael. For him to be using that tone now, Michael had to be in bad shape.

-

When Michael didn’t reply, Max reached again for the wheel only to be shoved back a few steps by Michael’s powers.

“Why won’t he let us get him out?” Maria’s voice was worried bordering on frantic. 

“We need to get him out, Max,” Liz told him quietly. She stood next to him, her arms crossed over her chest as she hugged herself. The dried blood on her face was the only indicator that she’d ever been hurt, her dislocated shoulder already healed.

“He won’t let me,” Max argued.

“I don’t care,” Liz told him. “It’s been almost an hour and he’s in shock. He hasn’t moved and his chest is _crushed_. I don’t know how he’s still alive, honestly. That injury would have killed a human. We have to get him out. Now.”

Inside the car, Isobel pulled Maria out and reclaimed her place next to Michael. She stroked his head gently, ignoring the blood caked along the strands. 

“Iz…” Max warned but she ignored him.

Taking a deep breath, Isobel sank into the recesses of her brother’s mind. She had maybe two seconds to marvel at the chaos before she was unceremoniously tossed out. 

Maria grabbed her as she jerked backwards. “Are you okay?” She asked as Max shouted Isobel’s name.

“I can’t get to him,” Isobel gasped as Max helped her sit up. “His mind is-” she shook her head. “I can’t get to him.”

Max nodded and spared a glance at Maria before pulling out his phone.

“Alex, hey,” he greeted when the call connected. He ignored the way all three women stared at him with varying degrees of surprise, hurt, and anger. “It’s Max. I need you to get out to Ranchero Drive, about halfway between the town limit and my house. Michael wrecked the truck and he’s still inside and won’t let us get him out to heal him.” He paused. “Liz said he crashed about an hour ago. Isobel and I got here about 20 minutes ago and I healed her and Maria but I can’t heal Michael while he’s still in his seat.” He closed his eyes in relief. “Thank you.”

“Why’d you call Alex?” Liz asked after he hung up.

Max shrugged as he tucked the phone away. “We need to get Michael out of the truck and he’s not responding to any of us.”

“So you think Alex is going to be able to get through to him when his girlfriend, best friend, and siblings can’t?” Maria asked, her arms wrapping around her stomach as she looked at Michael with worry.

“I think I need to get my brother out of there before he dies with his truck and I’m willing to try anything.” Max shared a look with Isobel, giving her a small hug at the offended look on her face, before he walked around the car and leaned on the window next to Michael’s head. On Michael’s opposite side, Isobel slid into the car.

The two of them spoke quietly, hoping for a reaction but Michael didn’t even seem to register they were there. His eyes never left the hood, though how much he saw through the tears in his eyes was unclear. Eventually, after what felt like hours though was probably only ten minutes, another car rumbled to a stop and Alex slipped out from behind the wheel. 

-

He stumbled his first few steps, his eyes focused on the horror that was the wreckage of Michael’s truck rather than the ground in front of him.

“What- how?” He asked as he got closer.

“An animal ran out in front of us and he swerved to avoid it. He hit the rocks over there,” Liz pointed with a nod, “but we were gong to fast and the car just kept flipping. The steering wheel is crushing his chest and Max can’t heal him with it there so we need to get him out but he won’t leave. He uses his powers to push back anyone who tries and he’s barely responsive.”

Alex took all of this in with a nod as he carefully made his way to the truck. Isobel slid out from the cab and eyed Alex with distrust but she stepped aside as he came up next to her. 

Alex looked around him, spotting the pool of blood staining the sand a few feet away and tying it to the blood stain on Maria’s pants. He took in the way she rubbed at her wrist and Liz rolled her shoulder and remembered what Max said about healing them both. From the state of the truck, it was amazing both were standing next to him now. He steeled himself before finally turning and looking inside the cab.

He barely stifled the gasp. Michael looked half dead. If it weren’t for the tears falling and his throat moving as he gasped out a few breaths, Alex might have thought he was. 

Alex gripped whatever he could reach and pulled himself onto the seat next to Michael. He met Max’s eyes through the shattered driver’s side window but quickly focused on Michael.

“Michael?” He tried. “Max is going to move the wheel and pull you out.”

Max reached for the wheel but seemed to take an involuntary step backwards as Michael gasped, “no!”

“That was a lot weaker than before,” Max commented, his face folded in worry.

Alex shoved down his own panic and reached for Michael, his fingers carding through his hair. “Why not?”

“My truck,” Michael gasped out.

Alex looked around him, his stomach falling at the sheer damage he was surrounded by. “The truck’s gone, Michael.”

Fresh tears welled up in Michael’s eyes and he squeezed his eyes shut against them. All of a sudden, Alex got it. He spared a glance for Max but ultimately ignored him.

“I’m sorry,” he said gently. “I know, okay? I know this is your home, this is your peace and your solace, but it’s gone. It protected you today. You and Liz and Maria. None of you should have walked away from this but this truck, _your_ truck, kept you all safe. Now you need to leave it behind. Staying here is not going to repair it. Dying in it will not bring it back.” Alex gripped a chunk of his hair and turned Michael’s head to face him, leaning his forehead against Michael’s. “Let us get you out, Michael. Maybe you can fix it but you can’t do that if you’re dead.”

“If I leave, then it’s dead.” 

Alex let out a shuddering breath. “If you don’t, then you’re dead.” 

He felt a finger wipe at his cheek and he opened his eyes in surprise. Michael’s thumb was wiping away his tears. 

“Don’t cry, darlin’,” Michael whispered. 

Alex swallowed. “Then get out of the car.”

Michael stared at him before his eyes fell closed. His chest stuttered to a stop and Alex’s heart crumpled like the hood of the truck. “Michael!”

There was a crunch of metal as Max gripped the door and forced it open with a yell. In front of him, the steering column inched away from Michael. Max and Alex both stopped and stared at it, each with their hands on Michael. When it was far enough away that Michael started to slump, Max pulled him out of the truck, Isobel coming up next to him to help him get Michael onto the ground. Alex slid across the seat and watched as Max tore open Michael’s shirt and pressed down with a hand in the middle of his chest. A brilliant light erupted from him and Alex had to turn away. 

The world was silent for a breathless moment before Alex heard a deep inhale and his heart leaped into his throat. Uncaring of his leg, he threw himself out of the truck and grabbed at Michael’s shoulders. Next to him, Max fell to the ground unconscious. Liz hurried to his side while Isobel wavered between her brothers. Maria fell to her knees on Michael’s other side, her hands checking over him to assure herself that he was fine.

“Ow,” Michael said weakly. Isobel smiled and kissed him on the forehead before standing and running to her car for acetone.

“‘Lex?” Michael asked. 

“I’m right here,” Alex assured him, his hands gripping Michael’s as the man reached for him. Maria drew back and gave them space, her hands covering her mouth as the tears kept falling. Alex spared her a thought but not much more than that. Right now, he just couldn’t.

Michael struggled to sit up so Alex helped him. When he was mostly upright, he took one look at the remnants of his truck and fell sideways into Alex’s chest. Alex’s arms wrapped around him, one hand in his hair, the other pressed against his whole and healthy chest, feeling it rise and fall with each of Michael’s breaths. 

“It’s gone,” Alex had never heard Michael sound so broken. 

He pressed a kiss into Michael’s hair and closed his eyes. That had been too close. “Maybe. Or maybe you can rebuild it. It won’t be the same but it will still be yours.”

“That thing was my home,” Michael whispered.

“I know,” Alex replied, because he did know. That truck was the first thing Michael had ever bought for himself, the first thing Michael had owned that no one could take away from him. It had been his home when he couldn’t go back to his foster home and it had given him peace and quiet when nothing else could. When he’d lost the ability to play the guitar, Michael had turned to fixing up his truck to quiet the chaos. To lose it now, Alex couldn’t imagine. “You’ll fix it,” he repeated. “You’ll fix it.”

Michael clutched at him as he repeated it over and over. 

“I can fix it,” he said eventually. “I will fix it.”


	17. Malex (ft Patrick + Liz + Maria)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex calls Michael 'Cowboy'

Alex’s laugh caught in his throat. It should be funny, it really should.

And yet.

Michael turned to him, cocky smirk firmly in place as he canted his head at just the right angle to catch the fading sun.

“Well fuck me sideways Cowboy.” Alex’s voice was barely more than a breath but the wide grin spreading across Michael’s face told him he’d been loud enough.

“That can be arranged.”

Alex groaned. “No, that wasn’t a request. I’m too sore.”

Michael smirked and swaggered over to him, the damn hat looking criminally good on him. “I told you the hat looked good,” he reminded Alex.

Alex bit his lip to hold back his retort. It was true, when Michael had first told him weeks ago that he’d bought a cowboy hat, Alex had laughed at him. Michael’s only defense was that it looked damn good on him and Alex would love it when he saw it. 

He wasn’t wrong.

Michael bent over Alex, his hands braced on the arms of Alex’s chair. “You like it, admit it.”

Alex shook his head. “I admit nothing.”

Michael grinned and stood up, adjusting the hat to somehow look even better. Alex barely held back a moan. He reached for Michael only for him to dance out of reach. “Nuh uh,” he protested. “Admit it.”

Alex thought about denying it but really, who was he trying to kid? “Come over here, Cowboy,” he demanded.

Michael eyed him but slowly meandered over. “You calling me Cowboy because I look good in a cowboy hat?” He questioned teasingly.

Alex rolled his eyes. “No. It’s because you look damn good in a cowboy hat. Now get over here.” 

Michael grinned and stepped into Alex’s grasp. “Whatever you say, darlin’.” Alex ignored the pet name for now and hooked a hand inside that obnoxious belt buckle and reeled him in all the way. He tilted his head to the side to avoid the hat and pulled Michael in for a kiss.

—

Alex didn’t bother reading the Caller ID when he answered the phone. “Who the fuck do you think you are calling at this hour?”

There was a low chuckle on the other end. “Well good morning to you too, darlin’.”

Alex relaxed back into his bed, the tension seeping out of him at the sound of Michael’s voice. And it was all Michael’s voice, the damn pet name had nothing to do with it. He swears. “Hey Cowboy. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

They texted, sure, but in the four years since Alex joined the Air Force, he wasn’t sure they’d actually spoken on the phone more than twice. “Just returning your call. Calls, I should say.”

Alex’s eyes cracked open. “What calls?”

There was that chuckle again. “The fourteen phone calls I got last night? I particularly enjoyed the messages, if I do say so myself. I didn’t know you could make Cowboy sound that dirty, I’m impressed really.” Michael paused. “You getting a lot of practice with that?”

Alex was more focused on the revelation that he’d drunk dialed Michael fourteen times last night than he was on the jealousy in his voice. So he didn’t even think when he replied, “You know you’re the only Cowboy in my life, Guerin.”

“Oh yeah?” Michael sounded pleased. 

“Yeah,” Alex replied almost absently as he shifted around. “Fourteen times, really?”

Michael hummed. “The last couple were mostly incoherent, though.” He paused. “Fun night?”

Alex groaned. “Williams’ 21st birthday.”

Michael whistled lowly. Alex hummed in agreement. “You working?”

“Hell no,” Alex denied. “Got today and tomorrow off after covering for some guys last week.”

“Lucky you.”

Alex made some noncommittal noise before falling quiet. Neither said a word for a long while, enjoying the quiet sounds of listening to each other’s breathing.

There was a loud banging on his door shortly before it swung open. Patrick leaned heavily on the doorframe. “I fucking hate you Manes.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. 

“I have to go to the base,” Patrick ground out, his eyes barely open.

Alex smirked. “Have fun with that.” 

“With what?” Michael asked through the phone.

“Not you,” Alex assured him before turning back to Patrick who now had a smirk of his own.

“Is that Michael?” He asked.

Alex nodded slowly and Patrick crossed the room to flop down next to him on the bed. Without asking, he ripped the phone from Alex’s hand and pressed it to his own ear. 

“Tell me he actually left those messages,” he asked.

Alex didn’t hear Michael’s response but Patrick’s cackling started to worry him. 

“Oh man,” Patrick sighed. “That was great.”

And ok, that was enough. Alex tore the phone from Patrick’s hand and shoved at him with his other until Patrick rolled off the bed.

“What exactly did I say in those messages?” He asked Michael.

Michael laughed. “I’ll save them and let you listen next time you’re here,” he promised.

“In the meantime, I’m gonna have to put up with everyone who heard me leave them.”

“There was nothing bad, I promise,” Michael assured him. “But you did get a little sappy as the night went on. And horny.”

Alex closed his eyes. “Fuck.”

“Don’t worry about it too much, darlin’. I’m sure most of them were too drunk to remember, anyway.”

“In case he doesn’t mention it,” Patrick told him from the doorway, “you asked if you could save a horse every time you rode him and if yes then you were planning to save a lot of horses.”

“Oh my god.”

“This is why you shouldn’t date Cowboys,” Patrick ‘advised’. Alex threw a pillow at him.

When he finally left, Alex turned back to the phone. “Ok, I’m going to sleep for the next 12 hours or so and when I wake up this will all have been a nightmare.”

Michael laughed softly. “Sweet dreams, darlin’.”

“Night, Cowboy.”

—

He shouldn’t be here. He knew he shouldn’t. In the week he’d been in town, he’d done a damn good job of avoiding Michael and anywhere he knew Michael might be. So why he was sitting at the bar in the Wild Pony on Friday night when he knew from both Michael and Maria that Michael was a staple here on Friday nights, he didn’t know.

They were done. Over. Finished. 

Or at least that’s what they’d said on the phone. Loudly. Repeatedly.

Alex wasn’t even sure where it went wrong. Everything was fine and then within a month they could barely speak without fighting and then Michael called and canceled a trip to come see him at the last minute and they’d both lost it.

That was six months ago.

Six months without any contact and Alex was like a man dying of thirst in the desert presented with a fucking waterfall and told not to drink. How could he possibly resist?

So he was at the Pony. He’d been warming a seat at the bar for almost two hours now, long enough that Maria had checked on him twice, but he still hadn’t seen Michael. He thought about leaving, about sucking it up and just going out to the trailer, when Michael walked in.

Michael and that fucking hat.

Alex had to admit, when Michael had first gotten it, Alex was sure it would just be a fad. Something he wore for a while before he got bored of the aesthetic and moved on but no. He still wore it. And honestly, Alex couldn’t be upset about it. Michael looked good in that hat. And he knew it.

“All is right in the world,” Maria said sarcastically as Michael slid onto a free stool. “What would a Friday night be without Michael Guerin gracing my bar with his presence?” She shot him a wry look, not friendly but not unkind. “What’ll it be Cowboy?”

“Usual. And don’t call me that.” Michael’s voice was tired, like he was weary and not from a long day of work.

Maria raised an eyebrow. “You’re rocking the whole cowboy look but you don’t want to be called Cowboy?” She huffed. “Oookay.” She turned to get Michael his drink and Alex fled.

He wanted to say he didn’t know why he fled but he did. Cowboy was his name for Michael, dammit. The idea that he didn’t let anyone else call him that warmed something in Alex that he’d thought was lost. 

Alex found Michael’s truck easily enough in the parking lot and scribbled a note on a receipt he found on the floorboard.

I’m at the Airstream

A

And then he left. He drove out to Foster Ranch and let himself into Michael’s home and sprawled out as best he could on Michael’s tiny bed.

It was hours before he heard the sound of Michael’s truck. Hours where he could think about what to say to fix this mess they’d somehow created. 

When he stepped out of the trailer to greet Michael, everything he’d planned just flew out of his head. Michael walked towards him, his gait slow and rambling.

“Hey, Cowboy,” Alex greeted softly.

Michael paused, his shoulders tensing. “Alex,” he returned. “What are you doing here?”

Alex swallowed. It had maybe been too much to hope that Michael would respond in kind but he’d gotten used to hearing darlin’ fall from Michael’s lips. His name felt almost impersonal now. “I missed you.”

Michael huffed and shook his head, his hands resting on his hips as he kicked lightly at the dirt. “You can’t have missed me that much. Took you six days to come see me.”

Alex started. “How-”

“DeLuca mentioned it last week. She was really excited that you were coming to visit. Said it had been a long time since she got to see you for a whole week.” He didn’t glare at Alex but only just.

Alex sighed. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me. Last time we-” he stopped and shook his head. “I didn’t want to bother you.”

“So why now?”

“I saw you at the Pony.”

“I figured as much since that note wasn’t in my truck when I went inside.”

“No, I mean I was inside. I was at the bar when Maria called you Cowboy and you told her not to.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that have to do with anything?”

“Why don’t you want her calling you Cowboy?”

“Alex, why the hell are you here?”

“Just answer the question, Guerin.”

Michael huffed. “Because this asshole I’m in love with calls me that and I can’t stand to hear it from anyone else. Happy?”

“Yes.”

Michael paused, his mouth open to continue. “What?”

Alex laughed lightly. “Yes, that makes me happy. I like having something that’s just mine. I like that you don’t let anyone else call you Cowboy.”

“I’m confused.” Michael took the hat off to scratch his head. “You broke up with me.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “What the fuck are you talking about? You broke up with me.”

Michael eyed him. “You told me not call or text you anymore.”

“You said it was better if we didn’t see each other anymore!” Alex shouted back.

Michael stared at him. “What the fuck are you talking about? I told you I couldn’t make it that weekend a few months ago and you told me not to bother on another weekend.”

“Guerin, you called me up an hour before you were supposed to be there with a bullshit excuse about how you couldn’t make the drive-”

“My truck broke down!”

“-and then told me that it was better that way! That the driving was too much and you didn’t think it was worth it.” Alex focused on his breathing in an effort to keep the tears at bay. He’d thought he was done crying about this.

Michael didn’t say anything for a long while. “My truck is an old piece of shit that is hanging out through my sheer force of will.” Alex blinked at the non-sequitur. “The engine blew about an hour outside of Roswell and I tried to fix it as best I could so I could still make it out to you but the part I needed took a week to ship so there was no way I could have made it all the way to the base that day. When I said the driving was too much and it wasn’t worth it I meant to the truck. I was trying to suggest we meet up in the middle or maybe I could scrounge up for plane tickets because the truck can’t handle the trips anymore.”

Alex stared. “What?”

Michael huffed. “I was talking about the damn truck, Alex. Not us.”

“That-that is not how it sounded.” Alex shook his head. “Not at all.”

“Alex-”

“It sounded like I was too much of a hassle and you couldn’t be assed to try anymore.” Alex tried to glare at him but couldn’t quite manage it. 

“Darlin’ you are a hassle and a pain in my ass sometimes but I’m always going to want you. I’m always going to want to try.” Michael cocked his head to the side and half looked back at his truck. “It would just be easier if I didn’t have to drive so far.”

Alex nodded slowly. “So don’t.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Are you breaking up with me again?”

“I have a new posting,” Alex revealed. “That’s why I got a week to come back here. They gave me ten days to move and I didn’t need the whole time.”

Michael took a step towards him. “Where are you being posted?”

“Altus, in Oklahoma. It’s less than six hours.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Six hours, huh? I think I could manage that.”

“Halfway would work too.”

“You willing to try again, darlin’?”

“Always, Cowboy.”

—

Michael didn’t recognize the number but he answered it anyway. He’d been on edge for a week, waiting and hoping to hear something, anything.

“Hello?” He answered tersely.

“Heeey Cowboy,” Alex’s voice was rough like he hadn’t use it much recently and he sounded high as a kite but it was undeniably Alex.

Michael sagged against the side of his truck. “You’re okay.” It wasn’t a question except for the fact that it was. A week ago there was as a news report of an Air Force unit that was attacked outside of Baghdad. Three casualties. Now, Michael wasn’t typically prone to being a worry wart but that kind of news plus a complete lack of communication from Alex did give him pause.

Ok, he’d been a nervous wreck but so what?

“I’m right as fucking rain.” Michael furrowed his brow.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. I’m okay.” Alex tried to play it off but Michael could hear the undercurrent of pain in his voice. 

Michael waved goodbye to the other ranch hands as they passed and slid into the cab of his truck. “Darlin’ talk to me. What happened? Where are you? Are you still in Baghdad?”

“Nope.” Alex popped. “I’m in Germany.”

“Germany?”

Alex hummed. “It’s where the fancy hospital is.”

Michael swore his heart stopped. “Hospital? Why are you in the hospital?”

“It’s where you go when they cut half of your leg off.” Now his heart did stop.

“Alex-”

“Don’t,” Alex’s voice was suddenly sharp. “I don’t know what you’re going to say but whatever it is, I really don’t want to hear it. I just- I just want to hear your voice.”

Michael swallowed down the first five things that came to mind. He could always call Patrick later and grill him for more information. “I was working out at Foster’s today and this guy…”

He wasn’t sure what he said, really, But he talked for almost an hour, Alex making random comments occasionally, until he could hear Alex starting to nod off.

“Alex? Darlin’?” 

Alex hummed.

“You coming home?”

“Yeah, Cowboy. I’m coming home. It won’t be the same, though.”

“I don’t care. I just want you here.”

“I will be. I’ll have to get out of here and do therapy and get fitted for a prosthetic but eventually I’ll be there. I promise.”

—

“You cannot be serious!” Liz laughed. 

Maria shrugged. “Try it. He hates it.”

She saw Alex smile around the rim of his bottle as he pressed it to his lips and she smiled in response. It had taken months for the three of them to get back to this point. To where they all felt comfortable enough just sitting back and drinking and having fun. To being able to move past all of the lies and the secrets and the hurting each other that they’d done. 

Liz leaned back in her chair until it balanced on two legs. “Yo, Cowboy!” She yelled across the bar. Michael stiffened where he was bent over the pool table lining up a shot but he didn’t turn around. “Cowboy!”

Michael still didn’t react and Alex started to laugh. Everyone in the bar knew who she was yelling at but Michael was too stubborn to acknowledge it. 

Liz turned back to Maria with a huff. “He’s literally a cowboy, though! I mean he’s got the buckle, the hat, he literally worked on a ranch for years…he’s an actually fucking cowboy!”

Maria laughed. “And yet.” She spread her hands out. “He’s always hated it when people called him cowboy as like a name. Calling him a cowboy seems to be fair game but just Cowboy?” She shook her head. “He won’t answer.”

Liz shook her head, her hair swishing around her shoulders. “That’s dumb. Boys are dumb.” And ok so she’d maybe had a bit to drink. She turned to Alex. “Why is your boy dumb?”

Alex’s lips twitched like he was fighting a grin but Liz couldn’t understand why. She raised an eyebrow when he didn’t say anything.

“Alex,” she said as sternly as she could manage. “What do you know?”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Maria glance between them. “What?” Maria asked, but Liz didn’t look away from Alex. He knew something, she just didn’t know what.

“Spill, Manes!” 

Alex lost the battle with his lips and they spread wide in a big grin. “Hey, Cowboy!” He yelled. Liz whirled around in her chair in time to see Michael pop up and turn their way.

“What?” Michael asked with a laugh.

“What?” Maria asked, shocked.

Liz pointed at Michael and then at Alex and then back to Michael. “You didn’t answer me when I said Cowboy,” she accused as Michael walked over to them, Max trailing behind him.

“Yeah, and?” Michael slid into the seat next to Alex, his arm sliding up the back of Alex’s neck to card through his hair. 

“Why?”

“I ain’t your cowboy, Elizabeth.”

Max made some kind of noise that Liz didn’t bother to decipher. “Really?” She raised an eyebrow as she turned to Alex. “He’s your cowboy?”

Alex shrugged. “It is what it is.”

Michael grinned and pressed a kiss to Alex’s cheek right, where his dimple appeared as he grinned widely. Liz barely contained her ‘aww’.

“I’ve never heard you two use pet names,” she accused. “You mocked me and Max for using ‘babe’, for chrissake.”

“That’s because babe is unoriginal.”

“And Cowboy is so unique?” Max asked, laughing. Michael shrugged. “Everyone calls you Cowboy.”

“No they don’t,” Michael denied. “They try. Once. But that’s it. Besides, Alex was first so he get exclusive rights.”

“Oh that’s why I get exclusive rights?” Alex laughed. Michael nodded and turned and whispered something in his ear that turned the tips of Alex’s ears red.

Liz rolled her eyes. “Alright, so Michael’s Cowboy, what’s Alex?”

Alex glared at Michael but Michael didn’t say anything. He just smirked and stole Alex’s beer. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t,” Liz denied. “I’m just curious.”

“You know curiosity killed the cat,” Alex warned.

She wagged a finger at him. “Ah but satisfaction brought it back.”

He shook his head and stood up, his hand grabbing at Michael’s collar to pull him up with him. “Unfortunately, I can’t help you with that. Thanks for a fun night out,” he waved at them with his free hand. “We’re leaving.”

Michael tossed a farewell over his shoulder as he let Alex pull him out of the bar.


	18. Malex (AU)

“And that’s why-” Michael cut himself off. He turned slowly to stare at the group in the back of the room, all of whom were staring at their phones as they exchanged furious whispers. A few people closer to him looked like they wanted him to keep speaking but he kept his mouth shut. 

As the whispers continued he leaned over the podium and rested his chin in his hands. 

“Hey!” Someone yelled. “Can y’all shut up so he can continue?”

The group in the back froze and looked up as if just remembering that they were in the middle of a lecture. The other 100 odd students were all staring at them as they slowly put away their phones.

“Sorry,” one of them mumbled.

“So,” Michael drawled. “What’s so exciting?”

A few of them looked like they’d rather become one with their chair rather than speak up in front of everyone but one guy’s face brightened and he leaned forward. “Alex Manes is on campus.”

The lecture hall erupted into chatter. 

“Are you serious?”

“How do you know?”

“Bullshit!”

Michael held up a hand to quiet the room. “What are you talking about?” He asked the first student.

The guy responded by holding up his phone. From where Michael stood at the front of the room, he could just make out that there was a photo on the screen but he had no way of seeing what or who the photo was of. “My friend just sent me this picture. It’s Alex Manes and he was on the quad 10 minutes ago.”

“Holy shit!” A girl exclaimed as she held her phone up. “It’s on twitter!”

After that the class was lost. Michael sighed as he hung his head. Trust the sudden appearance of a honest to god rock star to disrupt a lecture on quantum mechanics. 

“Okay!” He raised his voice to be heard. The room quieted a bit. “Test is in two classes. My office hours are cancelled for today so if you have any questions come find me next week.” He paused then made a shooing motion. “Now go.”

They didn’t need any more encouragement. Within seconds, all of the 100+ students in his class were up and stuffing their laptops into their bags, a crowd forming as they all shot towards the door in the hopes of finding and seeing Alex Manes in person. 

A few students stayed behind to talk to him but Michael still made it out of the room before class was scheduled to end. The quick walk across the quad to his office took almost twice as long as normal because he had to keep dodging students. Normally, by this time of day most students were finished with their classes and the quad was fairly quiet but not today. The news that Alex Manes, possibly the hottest (in more ways than one) rock star on the planet, was on campus and had been seen on the quad was enough to send the students out in droves. Most of them had their faces buried in their phones, hoping for an update. Two of them almost walked straight into Michael as he tried to navigate the pathways. After the third _did_ walk into him, Michael set off across the grass.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he entered his building, thankful that there were no students in sight. 

“What is going on out there?” One of his older colleagues asked as he peered behind Michael to see the crowds.

“Apparently a famous singer was spotted on the quad earlier and everyone’s hoping to catch a glimpse,” Michael answered absently as he hurried up the stairs to his office. He just needed to grab a few things and the long weekend stretched out ahead of him.

As soon as he pushed the door to his office open, he knew he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

“There’s about a thousand students not 500 yards away looking for you,” he greeted as he closed the door behind him quickly. Alex Manes grinned up at him from his own desk chair.

“I saw,” Alex held up his phone, twitter open. “How many do you think are going to look for me here?”

“None,” Michael replied shortly as he dropped his bag in the seat opposite his desk. “Regretfully, I had to cancel my office hours today.”

Alex made a mock regretful noise. “That’s a shame,” he remarked idly as he tossed his phone onto the desk and dropped his feet to the floor. “Now what are you going to do with your day?”

Michael grinned as he leaned over and braced himself on the arms of the chair, Alex’s hands going to his neck, his fingers already tangling in his curls as he pulled Michael to him. He meant to make a snarky comment but Alex beat him to it. Just as his lips parted to say something, Alex covered his mouth with his own, his tongue quickly slipping through Michael’s lips.

“Hi,” Michael said softly when they parted moments later.

Alex laughed. “Hi.” He nipped Michael’s lips gently. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you,” Michael promised as he kissed Alex again. “This is a nice surprise.”

“Hmm,” Alex hummed as he chased after Michael’s lips. They both dragged the kiss on, reluctant to part. “I’ve got the weekend free,” he whispered against Michael’s lips when they paused to catch their breath.

Michael pulled back slightly. “The whole weekend? All two days?”

“All _four_ days,” Alex corrected with a grin. “I have to be in LA for a meeting Monday afternoon but until then I’m all yours.” Michael had to kiss him again. He couldn’t remember the last time they had so much uninterrupted time together. They’d been making a go of it long distance for a couple of years when Alex’s career really took off and he’d been forced to spend more and more time in LA. Ideally, Michael would have moved to join him but he was up for tenure at UNM and he couldn’t afford to change universities. 

“I hope you weren’t planning on doing anything while you were here,” Michael warned lightly. He started to kiss Alex again when Alex made a strange noise that made him pull back. “What?” Alex pulled a face. “Oh god, _what?”_

“This weekend.”

“What about it?” Michael arched an eyebrow. “Did you make plans?”

“Kinda might have made a promise?”

Michael stood up and leaned against the desk as he crossed his arms. “To who? For what?”

“To Maria, for-” Michael threw his head back and groaned. Alex grabbed at his shirt to pull him back down but Michael threw him a glare.

“No.”

“You don’t have to go,” Alex told him. “But Maria said Liz is coming back and I want to see her.”

Michael groaned again and gave in to Alex’s tugging. Instead of kissing him, however, Michael let his head drop onto Alex’s shoulder. “We get four whole days and you want to go to our high school reunion.”

“Want’s a strong term but yes. Look, we can do a day trip on Saturday, we don’t have to give up the whole weekend.”

Michael pulled back enough to shoot him another glare. “Between Isobel and Maria? Like hell will we be in and out of there in one day.”

Alex shrugged in concession. “Ok fine, we won’t. But we can try? Drive down to Roswell Saturday morning and leave early Sunday. Still gives us a day and a half now and some time on Sunday to just be at home.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” Michael kissed him lightly as he stood up and grabbed his stuff.

“That’s a yes?”

“Yes, fine, we’re going to our 10 year reunion.” Michael shook his head. “You can call Isobel and tell her.”

“Think she’ll let us stay at a hotel?” Alex grabbed his stuff and threw on his hat and sunglasses. As disguises go, it was pretty shitty, but they’d found on Alex’s previous visits that if they walked with Michael’s arm around him that people didn’t look too closely. No one expected their college professor to be walking around campus wrapped up in a famous singer. 

Michael didn’t deign to reply, he just laughed as he ushered Alex out of his office and down the hall. 


	19. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What are you doing?” “…Eating.” “We’re being held hostage and you decide to raid the kitchen?” “They didn’t say the fridge was off limits.”

“What are you doing?” 

“…Eating.” 

“We’re being held hostage and you decide to raid the kitchen?” 

“They didn’t say the fridge was off limits.” 

“Guerin,” Alex sighed.

“What?” Michael asked innocently. “We’re going to be here a while.” He started rummaging through the refrigerator. “What do you want?”

“Whatever you want to make,” Alex gave in. He looked at the door with barely concealed groan. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure Michael was right about them being here for a while. Liz, Isobel, and Maria had been pretty shit faced when they called Alex and Michael to come help them with an ‘emergency’ at the diner. They’d been at the junkyard so they just drove over together but apparently none of the three women recognized that or what it meant because the two men were promptly escorted into the kitchen and the doors locked behind them. Liz sprinkled the yellow powder around the room while Isobel and Maria blocked the entrances.

“You’re not allowed out of there until you sort your shit out!” Isobel had yelled at them. Alex had heard them stagger their way up the stairs and promptly pass out.

So no, they weren’t going anywhere.

“You know, if we’d just told them we worked our shit out weeks ago, we wouldn’t have this problem,” Michael pondered out loud. Alex rolled his eyes. Yeah, it had been his idea to wait on announcing their change in relationship status until they were 100% certain they could make it work but-

“You liked the sneaking around,” he accused lightly.

“I did,” Michael agreed. “Not liking the part where our friends lock us in a room, though.”

“Hm,” Alex mused as he took in the ingredients Michael had set out. “Turn off the stove.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I have a better way to spend our time.”

Michael turned off the stove.


	20. Liz + Isobel

I.

Liz almost turned around twice in the car and three times on the short walk from the car to the front door. She kept telling herself that it was a stupid idea and that she should really just leave but her feet seemed to have different ideas. Every time her head would successfully convince her to leave, her body would rebel.

Eventually, she made it to the door and knocked lightly, hoping it wouldn’t be heard and she could just go. Except- when nobody answered, she knocked again, harder this time. 

Liz raised her fist to knock a third time when the door clicked open and Isobel poked her head around the corner. She looked awful, her hair was a mess and she didn’t have any makeup on so Liz could see the dark circles under her red eyes. As she opened the door wider, Liz could see that she was wearing sweatpants and what looked like a blanket around her shoulders.

“What?” Isobel barked. Or tried to. The ragged hoarseness of her voice took much of the impact out of it.

Liz opened and closed her mouth a few times, her words failing her now that she was face to face with Isobel. She hadn’t seen the other woman since Max died almost two weeks prior. When she didn’t say anything Isobel rolled her eyes and started to close the door.

“Wait!” Liz shot a hand out to stop the door from closing completely. “I- I-” She stopped and looked away, her hand still pressed to the door and Isobel staring at her from the other side. “I miss Max. And I am so fucking angry at him I could scream. And I just- I need to talk to someone who understands that. I tried to talk to Mikey but-”

“But he’s a fucking mess,” Isobel finished for her. Liz nodded. On the outside, Isobel looked like more of a mess than Michael right now but Michael was self destructing and Liz didn’t have the patience or knowledge to help him.

Liz tried to say something else but she was out of words. Thankfully, Isobel took pity on her and opened the door. “I have wine. If you want something else, I hope you brought it with.” She tossed the words over her shoulder as she disappeared into the house and Liz sank against the side of the doorway in relief. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if Isobel had slammed the door in her face. After weeks of holding it together as best she could, Liz needed an outlet. She needed someone to rage with and Isobel was her only hope.

“Are you coming or not?” Isobel called.

“Yeah!” Liz called back as she stepped into the house and shut the door behind her.

“So,” Isobel started when Liz joined her. She had a full glass of wine outstretched and Liz took it gratefully as she sank into the couch. “Max was a selfish son of a bitch with a God complex and left us all to clean up the wreckage of his power kick. Thoughts?”

Liz laughed in spite of herself. She took a long sip of the wine and nodded. “Agreed. Have you considered that in the midst of the power kick he did something so unbelievably kind and selfless that it makes me hate myself a little bit for hating him for it?”

Isobel nodded sagely and hummed as she wrapped her blanket tighter around her. “A valid addition. I would also like to add that he healed Michael’s hand after Michael told him not to. Hell, Michael was begging him not to while he did it and Max just- just fucking did. It was like Michael’s objections meant nothing to him even though it was Michael’s hand.” Liz hadn’t heard that bit. She knew Max had healed his hand, it was hard not to see it, but she hadn’t even imagined that Michael could have objected.

“Wow,” she mused. “Max was a dick.”

Isobel raised her glass in a silent toast. “And yet, it feels like a piece of me is gone and I don’t know how to function without it.”

“And yet,” Liz agreed lightly.

II.

“Elizabeth!” Isobel watched with amusement as Liz’s whole body went rigid. She closed her eyes shut and visibly counted to ten before turning to face Isobel.

“Isobel,” she greeted with her teeth clenched. “I’m working.”

Isobel glanced around the lab. “I can see that, on account of I had to come to the hospital to find you and you are now standing in the middle of your lab.”

“Well if you know this, why are you here?”

“To see you.” Isobel decided that honesty was her best bet right now. It seemed to work too, if the way Liz was struck silent was any indication. “Look, I- I need-” she stopped and closed her eyes before continuing, unwilling to look at Liz while she said this, “I need a friend. And with Michael lost in his own head and Max gone, and No-, I’ve realized I’m a little short on those at the moment.”

She opened her eyes when Liz didn’t respond only to find the woman already turning and shutting off the machine she’d been working at. She tugged off her gloves and lab coat and grabbed her purse without a word.

Isobel hardly blinked before Liz was standing in front of her, clearly ready to leave. “What?”

Liz smiled kindly. “You need a friend. I’m a friend. What do you need from me?”

“It’s mine and Noah’s anniversary today.” Isobel desperately wanted to revisit the whole friend thing, primarily because she really wasn’t sure she and Liz qualified as such, but she wasn’t going to press her luck. Not now. Not today.

“Okay,” Liz let out a breath. “Let’s go get drunk.” She grabbed Isobel’s arm and gently pushed her out of the room before locking the door behind her. “Pony?”

Isobel wavered. “I don’t really want to deal with Michael tonight. I know that makes me an awful sister but I just- I don’t have it in me to deal with his problems right now.”

Liz nodded. “I get that. How about I call Maria and see if he’s there? Or we can go to your-”

“Not my house,” Isobel cut her off immediately. Liz just nodded. “Okay, then we can go to the Crashdown or try one of the tourist bars for fun.”

Isobel shook her head. “Call DeLuca.” She wasn’t sure she really wanted to spend time around Michael’s possible girlfriend, especially since the other woman had started asking questions that she knew Michael was refusing to answer, but it was better than the alternatives. At least the Wild Pony was familiar enough territory without having any memories of Noah.

“Okay,” Liz announced as she tucked away her phone. “Maria said Michael just walked out the door with his latest conquest and she doesn’t expect him back the rest of the night. You can safely get drunk and worry about your own shit without having to deal with your brother’s.” She slung her arm through the crook of Isobel’s elbow and tugged her down the hallway. 

Isobel had expected more from Liz. More of a fight, to have to spend more time convincing her, to just- not have it be this easy. She wasn’t sure what to do with this development, honestly.

III.

“Am I shitty friend?” Liz asked as she barged in through Isobel’s front door. She’d stopped bothering to knock after their third drinking (mourning) session. It said a lot about both of them that Liz felt comfortable just walking into Isobel’s house and that Isobel had given her a key. Michael didn’t have a key. (Michael didn’t need a key, but that wasn’t the point)

“What?” Isobel called back, her voice faint. Liz stared around the empty great room and peered into the kitchen but didn’t see Isobel.

“Where are you?”

“Bedroom!”

Liz didn’t know where the bedroom was but she followed the direction Isobel’s voice had come from until she heard the sounds of someone rustling about. After two wrong doors, she finally swung open into the middle of a clothing hurricane.

“What?” She could only gape as a shirt came flying out of the closet to her left, a blonde head following.

“I’m getting rid of his shit. Wanna help?”

Liz nodded and grabbed a trash bag. For a few minutes, they worked silently; Isobel emptying the closet of all things Noah as violently as she could and Liz stuffing it all into bags. 

“So what did you need?” Isobel asked eventually. She closed the closet door and walked over the dresser, yanking out a drawer and upending it on the floor.

“Am I a shitty friend?” She repeated.

Isobel paused. “Honestly, you might be the best friend I’ve ever had outside of my brothers.” They both paused. “Which is a very sad thing for me to admit but the point stands. As far as I’m considered, you’re a great friend. Why?”

Something inside Liz warmed considerably at Isobel’s words. The other woman wasn’t one to mince words or lie to make her feel better. If she said, she meant it.

“I think I hurt both Maria and Alex, really badly.” Liz focused on stuffing the bags and ignored Isobel’s huff. “I know this is largely Michael’s mess but I still feel like I played a part in it. Maria came to me and admitted that she had feelings for Michael and that she knew Alex did too and I told her to go for it. I told her she couldn’t help how she feels and Alex couldn’t expect her to. And then she started this thing with Michael which has just hurt her because Michael’s a mess. But because she did, Alex got hurt and I just- I feel like I screwed over my best friends because I was too wrapped up in my own problems to really hear about theirs before I got involved. I basically did a drive by. I stopped in for two seconds, got the very biased cliff notes version, and gave shitty advice. And now, it’s like I don’t know us anymore. Alex can hardly stand to be around Maria and Maria feels betrayed because she knows Michael’s keeping things from her and she suspects that I know what that is. And then I hate talking to Alex because every time I do all I can think about is how I told Maria to hook up with the love of his life and I just-”

“Hey,” Isobel said calmly. She waited until Liz looked at her to continue. “Everyone in that mess of a situation fucked up. Their love triangle from hell is not your fault. It’s theirs. If Michael and Alex had been honest about their relationship in the first place, I doubt Maria would have done anything with Michael. Hell, if Maria had talked to Alex about Michael, she probably would have stepped back no matter how much she may think she likes him. And Michael has had countless opportunities to come clean with Maria about everything and he hasn’t. Did you give shitty advice? I don’t know. Like you said, it’s not like you knew the whole situation.”

“But I could’ve known more,” Liz protested. “I got so wrapped up in Max and in figuring out the fourth alien that I forgot about my friends. I didn’t even know Alex knew about you three until two weeks ago!”

Isobel shrugged and sat down on the end of the bed. “Neither did I.”

“Yeah but you don’t really know Alex. He and I have been friends since birth, practically. And I know we sort of lost touch when we both left but even since we both came back, I’ve been a shitty friend. He even called me on it and I didn’t change anything.”

“Did he?” Isobel asked. Liz stared at her blankly. “Look, I know I don’t know a lot about having friends, but from what I can tell, it takes at least two people. Maybe you were a shitty friend. But maybe he was too.”

Liz opened her mouth to defend him but shut it before she did. It was true. Alex had been just as shitty a friend as she had been. He knew she was involved in the alien business in Roswell and he said nothing to her about it. She’d had to find out about his relationship with Michael from Maria, after all. “We both could have done better,” she admitted quietly.

“So do better,” Isobel said simply. “If you feel bad for the part you played in his relationship drama, tell him. Tell him and apologize and do better.”

She said it so matter of factly that Liz couldn’t help but nod. It sounded so simple when Isobel said it and Liz ached for her to be right.

“And Maria?” Liz asked. “She’s in the dark and she knows everyone’s keeping secrets from her.”

“You leave it up to Michael.”

“We both know Michael doesn’t intend to tell her anything.”

“So then she stays in the dark.”

Liz glared at her. “She’s my best friend. I hate seeing her hurting when I can do something about it.”

“But you can’t,” Isobel retorted. Liz started to argue but Isobel talked over her. “Nothing that she needs to know is yours to tell, Liz. It’s mine and it’s Michael’s. Now I have no desire or need for Maria DeLuca to know my personal business. If Michael chooses to tell her, then that’s fine, but it’s not up to you.”

Liz really wanted to argue but she knew Isobel was right. Everything she would tell Maria hinged around the fact that the thre-two of them were aliens and that wasn’t her secret to share. She nodded. “Stand up.”

Isobel frowned. “What?”

Liz waved a hand. “Stand up.”

Isobel stood slowly. As soon as she was vertical, Liz crashed into her in a tight hug, her arms wrapping around her waist as she laid her head on Isobel’s chest. Isobel’s arms hung in the air next to her. “What is happening?”

“I’m hugging you,” Liz told her. Isobel still faltered so Liz grabbed her hand wrapped it around her own back. “I know you know how a hug works.”

Isobel laughed lightly and finally hugged her back. “And why are we hugging?”

“Because we’re friends. And I needed a hug.”

Isobel held her a little tighter.

+I

Max woke up to a world very similar to the one he’d left but also inherently different. They told him it had been almost six months but it felt like it had been six seconds. Six seconds and his world had shifted.

Rosa Ortecho was back. He hadn’t been sure it worked and the relief he felt when she stopped by to say hello was indescribable.

Michael was a mess. Isobel assured him that Michael was actually doing well and if he’d wanted to see Michael as a mess, he should have seen him five months ago. Michael took one look at his brother’s life and silently agreed not to ask. If Michael was on an upswing, then Max would support him. No need to ask about his down turn. 

But the biggest shift came from Liz and Isobel. Six seconds ago, they’d hated each other. Oh, they managed civil conversation for his sake but he knew that neither woman particularly liked the other. It was in the way they chose their words carefully and never got too close when they were forced into the same room.

But now? Now Isobel relaxed when Liz came into the room. Max hadn’t even noticed she was tense until her shoulders dropped incrementally and her lips turned up in a small smile at Liz’s entrance. For her part, Liz hugged Isobel first when she walked into the house. 

The next day, Max went over to Isobel’s to see if she was free for lunch and walked in on the two of them sitting on the couch yelling at the TV.

“What?”

“It’s the Great British Bake Off,” Isobel answered absently as she passed a bowl of popcorn to Liz in exchange for the bottle of wine Liz handed her. They hadn’t even looked at each other.

“What?”


	21. Malex ft Kyle (Flint and Liz also featured)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on this gifset

Kyle tried really hard not to run. Running attracted attention and that was the last thing he needed right now. 

It took everything in him to slow his feet down to a gentle speed walk as he hurried through the halls to Liz’s lab. If he was almost running by the time he barreled though the door, well no one was around to see it.

The door bounced off the wall when he shoved it open and Kyle froze when he everyone turned to stare at him. Apparently there was an alien convention in Liz’s lab and no one had told him. 

“Oh thank god, you’re all here,” he gasped as he took them all in. He’d come for Liz’s help but he’d been planning to call on Max, Isobel, and Michael almost immediately after. “Alex is in trouble.”

Michael, who had stayed sitting when the other three stood at Kyle’s abrupt entrance, shot to his feet and was halfway across the lab before Kyle could blink. “Where is he?”

“Flint has him. Or Jesse does. Or hell one of the other freaks he calls brother, I don’t actually know.”

“What?” Kyle almost took a step back at the venom in Michael’s voice but he held firm.

“Flint just came to talk to me at the bunker. Apparently the evil Manes’ raided Alex’s cabin and found the piece of space ship he had. They took him with them and they’re demanding the rest of the ship if we want Alex back.” He turned to Liz, ignoring everyone’s shocked ‘ _space ship?’_ as Michael shoved past him and disappeared down the hall. Kyle knew he was probably running off straight into the lion’s den half-cocked without a plan but he didn’t have time to worry about him right now. Even if that’s exactly what Alex would prefer he do. “Liz, can you find some way to track down the rest of the ship? Alex only had the one piece and I don’t even know where to begin looking for the rest.”

Liz started to nod then stopped. “I don’t know. I didn’t even know he had a piece of a ship.” Max and Isobel exchanged surprised looks, obviously also in the dark about that. “If I had his piece, _maybe_ I could find a way to track down the rest? Or maybe they could,” she waved a hand at the Evans twins, “but without it, I’m not sure what I can do. Are you sure he only ever had the one piece? Alex isn’t stupid. If he had more than one piece, he wouldn’t keep them together.”

“Are you sure Flint was telling the truth?” Max asked. “Who knows if they actually have Alex.”

Kyle pulled out his phone and pulled up the picture Jesse Manes had sent him while he’d been talking to Flint. It was of Alex sitting on a concrete floor, his arms wrenched behind his back and blood dripping down his face. His right leg was missing, the prosthetic still sitting next to his bed at the cabin.

Liz cursed when he showed her the picture. “Okay, I’ll think of something. Maybe Maria can get a read on it and track something down?” Kyle shrugged. He had never been clear on how Maria’s psychic powers worked but if Liz thought she could do it, Kyle wasn’t going to doubt her. “Course it would be easier if she had the first piece to get a good read on the ship’s energy but maybe she can manage without it.” Liz pulled out her phone as she spoke and called Maria.

“Iz, can you try the same thing?” Max asked as Liz turned away to talk to Maria. “It’s ours, right?” He directed to Kyle. Kyle shrugged. Alex had never specified its origin but he assumed it came from the only known alien species on Earth. 

“I’m not a fucking bloodhound, Max,” Isobel snapped. “I get into people’s minds, I don’t track down missing ships.”

“Okay,” Liz turned back to the group. “Maria thinks she might be able to help if she can get Isobel to work with her. Something about a psychic energy from the same place of origin or something, I’m not sure.”

“But she can help?” Kyle clarified.

“She’s gonna try,” Liz said firmly. Kyle could only imagine how determined Maria was. She wasn’t a woman to let down her friends. Especially not Alex, and especially not after the fiasco that had been her abysmal attempt at a relationship with Michael Guerin. The two of them at lasted all of a month before imploding in spectacular fashion but the damage was taking a lot longer to recover from.

Liz grabbed her jacket and purse and shooed them out of the lab. “We’re meeting her at the cabin.”

Somehow, the group made it out of the hospital without attracting too much attention. His phone rang just as Kyle slid behind the wheel of his car. He thought about ignoring it but he pulled it out in case it was one of the Manes’.

He almost dropped the phone in shock when Michael’s name flashed on the screen. 

“Guerin?” Kyle answered trepidatiously. He didn’t know how much trouble the man could’ve gotten himself into this quickly but whatever it was, he wouldn’t be surprised. 

“Get over to Sanders’ now,” Michael barked and then hung up.

Kyle stared at the phone before glancing up to see Liz and Max’s cars peel out of the parking lot. He really should follow them out to the cabin to meet Maria but he knew Michael would never be cavalier about Alex’s life or safety and if he needed Kyle at the scrapyard, it had to be important. With a groan, Kyle pulled out of the parking lot and turned towards Sanders’ away from Alex’s cabin.

-

“What the fuck?” It was all Kyle could manage to say when he pulled up to Michael’s trailer to see the glass structure sitting on the ground. The surface glowed with a myriad of colors and Kyle could clearly see where Alex’s missing piece would fit into the side.

It was the ship. It was the rest of the entire goddamn ship.

He looked up at Michael. “What the fuck? You’ve had this the whole time?”

Michael shrugged. “Alex gave me the last piece but we decided it would be safer if he kept it so no one could get the whole thing.” He opened the trunk of Kyle’s car and carefully lifted the ship off the ground and guided it into the car. “Take it to Flint. I’d go but-”

“But they’d just take you in his stead,” Kyle finished. _Or kill you_ , he left unsaid. He knew none of the aliens could go near the Manes’, no matter how much Michael may want to.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Kyle asked as he watched Michael fuss about.

“Why would I?” Michael slammed the trunk shut. “It was my goddamn ship. It didn’t matter until today. And now I’m telling you.” He walked over to Kyle and shoved him towards the car when Kyle stood gaping at him. “Go get Alex.”

Kyle shook himself out of his surprise and nodded frantically as he got into the car. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll get him. I promise.”

Michael nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets as he stepped out of the way of the car. Kyle didn’t look back as he tore out of the scrapyard and towards the bunker, one hand already dialing Flint’s number as he drove.

-

The exchange was comically simple. Kyle spent twenty minutes getting increasingly anxious while he waited for Flint before the man rolled up in a large military Humvee and Alex practically threw himself out of the backseat. Flint got out of the car rolling his eyes and dropped two crutches on the ground next to his brother but didn’t help him up.

“Where’s the ship?” Flint barked, pulling Kyle’s attention away from Alex.

“Don’t answer that,” Alex cut Kyle off.

Kyle waved towards the car behind him anyway. He wasn’t made for shit like this, honestly. Michael had handed the ship over without a second thought so far be it from Kyle to second guess that decision for him.

Flint stalked towards the trunk and Kyle hurried over to help Alex to his feet.

“What the hell are you doing Kyle?” Alex hissed. “You can’t just fake a space ship.”

“I’m not,” Kyle assured him. “It’s the real thing.”

Alex started to scoff when he froze, his eyes fixed on his brother as Flint rounded the car with the ship cradled in his hands. It was large enough that Kyle had assumed it was heavy but Flint carried it like it was nothing. 

“How did you get that?” Alex whispered.

“He gave it to me,” Kyle answered, careful, not to say Michael’s name. 

Alex stared at him. “He- he _gave_ it to you?” He sounded mystified.

Kyle’s eyebrows narrowed. “Yeah. I-” He stopped when Flint walked over to them.

“You okay?” He asked Alex.

Alex’s face turned to stone. “Fucking peachy, Flint.”

Flint looked hurt for a moment before he steeled his own features. “The leg should be at the cabin,” he told Alex. “We didn’t touch it.”

“How generous.”

Flint looked like wanted to say something else but eventually he just nodded and left without a word.

The second the Humvee was out of sight Alex turned on Kyle. “He just fucking _gave_ it to you?!”

Kyle started walking towards his car. “I went to Liz to see if she could somehow track down the rest of the ship and Michael was there. He left while I was talking to Liz but then he called me a little while later and told me to meet him at Sanders’. When I got there the ship was just sitting there. He put it in the car and told me to go get you.”

Alex hadn’t moved from where Kyle left him. “He just gave it to you…” he repeated softly.

“Yeah,” Kyle told him unnecessarily. 

Alex blinked a few times and then suddenly seemed to remember where he was. He made his way slowly over to the car and got in. “Take me to Sanders’.” He ordered once he had the door closed.

“I feel like I should take you to the hospital first,” Kyle replied even as he pulled out and turned towards the scrapyard. Alex was already shaking his head before Kyle finished speaking.

—

Alex waited until Kyle had driven away to say anything. Part of him wanted Michael to speak first but he knew he’d be waiting a while for that and today, he was just impatient to wait that long.

“You gave him your ship!?” 

Michael looked surprised. “Yeah?”

“It’s your fucking ship, Michael. Why would you just hand that over?”

“Because your fucking father and brother were holding you hostage.” Michael had been walking towards him but stopped just out of reach. “What did you expect me to do?”

“Not give up your ship!” Alex huffed. “You were working on that for over ten years! It was your life plan or whatever.”

“So? Antar’s gone, that’s what Noah said.”

Alex glared at him. “Like you believe everything Noah said to you.” They’d had many conversations on the subject and Alex knew Michael took everything the man had told them with a grain of salt. It was just too hard to trust the word of a man who’d spent almost a decade lying to all of them. They’d even talked about the continued existence of Antar. Alex _knew_ that Michael was holding on to the dream that his home planet was still out there. “And fine, even if you suddenly think Antar is really gone, that ship was all you had of your home planet.”

“So?” Michael repeated.

“So?! How could you just hand that over to my father?” Alex shouted. “Who knows what he’s going to do with it?”

“What are you saying, Alex? You wanted me to leave you there when I had the means to get you out?”

“I just- I don’t understand how you could just hand that over.”

Michael stared at him before laughing harshly. “Fuck me, Alex. It was easy. It was you or the ship.” He shook his head and half turned away so he wasn’t looking at Alex. “Not really a choice at all, really.”

Alex’s breath caught in his throat and he swore his heart stopped beating for a second. Michael had always been proud of his alien heritage, proud and oh so goddamn curious. From the second he’d showed Alex the ship, Alex had known that one day Michael would leave Earth. It wasn’t a hypothetical, it was a fact. 

It was why giving Michael the last piece of the ship had been so painful. When Michael had given it back the very next day and told Alex to keep it, Alex had felt hopeful for the first time that maybe, just _maybe_ , Michael might be considering staying. Never in a million years did he think he would give up the whole thing, though. 

And certainly not for Alex. 

“Michael-”

He didn’t know what he could say honestly. The last time they’d spoken about _them_ , Michael had told him he didn’t love him. And unlike when he’d yelled the words at Caulfield, Alex had believed him. It had hurt like nothing he’d ever felt before, but he’d believed him.

But this. This was-

Michael sighed heavily. “Did you really think I would keep the ship and let you be tortured by your family?”

“I don’t know what I thought.”

Michael shook his head. “I know we’ve had our issues,” Alex barely contained his snort, “but you’ve gotta know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Alex. You’ve gotta know that.”

“You said you don’t love me,” Alex said quietly.

“I thought you said I was a miserable liar.” 

“You are. And yet- I believed you. You weren’t lying.”

Michael smiled sadly. “Of course I was lying. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”


	22. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there are each other's only exception

1.

Alex Manes had a secret.

He was a coward.

Sure, he didn’t give a shit what people at school thought about his clothes. He didn’t pay any mind to the half-whispered comments of people on the street when it came to his preferences. 

But that was nothing. It cost him nothing to ignore those people, to push them out of his mind. They weren’t worth the hassle of caring. Being above them didn’t require him to be brave. Not like his father did.

The one time, the one place, Alex needed to be brave and stand up for himself and he cowered like a child every time. Every. Single. Time.

His father would get that look and Alex knew what was coming and he just…let it happen. He never stood up for himself, never challenged his father. He couldn’t. He wasn’t brave enough.

Until he was.

Jesse Manes threw open the shed door with that look in his eye and Alex knew he and Michael weren’t both getting out of there in one piece. He knew it like he knew the sky was blue. It was a fact buried deep into his soul.

Alex didn’t stop to think about it. He saw his father, saw the look, saw the hammer, and stepped in front of Michael. He would take anything his father had to dish out but like hell was he going to let his father lay so much as a hand on Michael. Not while he was there.

The fact that Michael was the one who left that encounter mangled lay on Alex’s conscience for years. But, ultimately, Alex had won that day. He might be a coward when it came to his father but put Michael into the equation? And Alex would stand up to Jesse Manes anytime, anywhere. 

He couldn’t be a coward when it came to protecting Michael, no matter what. 

2.

“Where the fuck is he?” Liz blew into the Wild Pony and straight up the bar, her phone clutched tightly in a fist. Maria froze and glanced around her.

“Where is who?”

“Michael,” Liz ground out. “He was supposed to meet me three hours ago. I don’t care if you two had plans, I need him to help me figure this out.” Kyle half got out of his seat, a hand outstretched to calm Liz down. He knew she was stressed out about Max, she’d spent almost every waking moment for weeks holed up in her lab working to revive him like he’d done for Rosa, but that was no excuse to treat Maria like this. 

“I haven’t seen him today,” Maria replied. She put down the glass she was cleaning. “He said he was going to be working with you all day.”

“He was supposed to be,” Liz told her, her fist loosening as some of the anger left her. “He never showed and he’s not answering his phone.”

Isobel scoffed from her perch a few stools away. “Michael never answers his phone. Like, literally never.” She threw back a shot and motioned to Maria for another.

Liz and Kyle both looked to Maria as she refilled Isobel’s glass without comment. “She’s right. Michael never answers his phone. If I want to get ahold of him I just text him.” She came back over to their end of the bar. “When was the last time you talking to him?” Maria glanced between the three of them. “Any of you?”

“I don’t really talk to Guerin,” Kyle admitted.

“I texted him last night to confirm what time we were meeting at the lab.” Liz pulled out her phone to check. “He never replied though.” She looked up. “What about you?”

“He was in here last night but he left before closing,” Maria admitted. She was starting to get worried and Kyle watched as she pulled out her phone to text him. Maria stared at her phone for a minute, willing a response to come through, before she looked over at Isobel. “Aren’t you worried?”

Isobel waved a hand at them. “It’s Michael. He does this.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Maria protested. “He never just vanishes without a word.”

Isobel scoffs. “Sure he does. He hasn’t done it since Max-” she cleared her throat- “I figure he’s due for a disappearing act, honestly. He’ll be back. He always is.”

“And you’re not going to call him?” Kyle asked in disbelief. Far be it from him to question their sibling dynamic but Isobel had been rather clingy since Max died and it was odd to see her so cavalier about him being missing.

She shot him an unimpressed look and fished an olive out of her martini. “So he can not answer?” 

“He doesn’t even answer for you?”

“He doesn’t answer his phone for anyone.” Isobel sipped the last of her drink. “Best case scenario is he sees the caller ID and sends a text.” She glanced between Maria and Liz and sighed. “Which he isn’t doing. Seriously, he does this. He’ll be back in a day or two like nothing happened.”

The door slammed shut and they all turned towards the entrance. It was still relatively early, too early for Maria to be officially open, and they weren’t expecting anyone.

“Alex?” Maria asked softly as he stepped into the light of the main room. Alex glanced up at her as he flipped through a few of the files he had clutched in his hand. “What are you-? It’s um, it’s good to see you.”

Kyle looked between them, at Maria’s hopeful face and Alex’s careful indifference, and decided not to get in the middle of that. “What’s that?”

Alex nodded to himself and carefully shut the file he was looking through. He spent a few seconds arranging everything and then held the stack out to Liz. “Project Shepherd research on the health of the aliens. There’s nothing in there about resurrection but it’s all I could find on their biology. Thought maybe it could be useful.”

Liz took it with a careful smile. “Thanks, Alex.”

Alex gave her a smile in return and turned to go.

“Manes!” Isobel called before he could leave. “Where’s my brother?” She didn’t look at Alex as she leaned over the counter to help herself to another bottle.

Maria looked like she wanted to glare at her for it but there were too many emotions warring on her face for Kyle to tell.

Alex turned slowly. “Guerin’s missing?”

Isobel shrugged. “I’m pretty sure he’s just on one of his little me-cations but these two,” she nodded at Maria and Liz, “are worried. Figured maybe you’d heard from him.”

“I haven’t seen or talked to him for a few days. Have you tried calling him?”

Kyle just barely held back a laugh as the three women let out various sounds of exasperation. “He doesn’t answer.”

Alex arched an eyebrow. “He’s not answering?”

“Michael never answers,” Isobel told him. “Literally, never.”

Kyle watched Alex’s face go blank for a moment before he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He fiddled with it for a second before holding it to his ear. Maria, Isobel, and Liz all stared at him with varying degrees of amusement and disbelief as he apparently called Michael.

“Hey,” Alex said after only a few seconds. Kyle’s jaw dropped. “Where are you? Maria and Liz are worried you’ve gone AWOL.” He paused. “Yeah, fine. Just text them or something.” He waited a beat before he hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

“What the fuck?” Isobel asked.

Alex shrugged. “He said he’ll be back tomorrow.”

“You just talked to him on the phone.”

“Yeah,” Alex shrugged. “I hate texting.”

“He answered?” Maria sounded incredulous.

Alex looked at them oddly. “He always answers.”

3.

There were a few accepted truths about living in Roswell, New Mexico.

  1. Love it or hate it, if you lived in Roswell, you lived in Alien Town USA. It was all anyone anywhere would ever know about your hometown and there was no escaping it.
  2. Aliens were real. Who or where they were was irrelevant; live in Roswell long enough and you just know. You are not alone in the universe.
  3. If you’re going to get arrested, get arrested by Deputies Evans and Cameron. The view is worth spending time in cuffs.
  4. No one touches Michael Guerin’s hat. The last guy who tried ended up in the hospital with a shattered hand. 



For almost ten years, seeing the hat was almost as good as seeing Guerin himself. No one else in town wore a hat quite like his. 

In a small town like Roswell, news traveled fast. Guerin and Maria DeLuca’s ill-fated relationship made tongues wag but no one gave it much thought beyond idle gossip. After all, they may have made a cute couple but he still wouldn’t let her touch the hat. The day she tried to pick it off the counter in the Wild Pony to plop it on her own head and Guerin snatched it out of the air and almost knocked her over from the force of his motion was the moment everyone knew their relationship was doomed. 

So when, not two weeks later, Alex Manes walked into the Crashdown Cafe with a very familiar black hat perched on his head, the town lost their minds. No one, not even Maria DeLuca or Liz Ortecho apparently, knew what to make of it. No one even knew what to say. It was quite possibly the quietest day in town for everyone stopped in their tracks, jaws agape, at the mere sight of Alex Manes that day. Well, the sight of the hat on anyone other than Michael Guerin.

For his part, Alex wore a twisted smirk the whole day, like he knew the effect he was having and was enjoying every second of it while trying not to show it. He was polite and friendly to everyone but neatly dodged every attempt to question how he came to be wearing Guerin’s hat.

It took weeks, nearly months, for the town to get used to seeing Alex in Guerin’s hat. They never did get an explanation or an answer to any query but the two men were seen together often enough that really, no explanation was necessary.

Everyone with eyes could see how Alex won exclusive privileges to the accessory.

(What Michael and Alex never admitted was that Alex had been the one to purchase the hat in the first place, a birthday/graduation/goodbye present for Michael that fateful summer. He’d given it on the one condition that he got to wear it whenever he wanted - he just didn’t take advantage of that until much much later.)

4.

He knew it was silly. Becoming more comfortable with his body and his reality was an important part of his recovery but Alex couldn’t help it. The idea of anyone seeing or touching his leg made him nauseous. He forced himself to settle when he visited the doctor but other than that, he kept his leg covered and out of sight.

It was fine. He had the prosthetic and his crutches and he didn’t need anyone to see it.

It was fine.

Until, of course, it wasn’t.

Alex should’ve known. With this group’s luck, it was really only a matter of time until he got hurt. Everyone else had already suffered through an injury (or two or more). He’d been fortunate really but it looked like his luck had finally run out. 

He didn’t actually remember much of what happened. One second, he’d been staring down the barrel of a gun held by his brother and the next he was being tossed around the backseat of Max Evans’ truck. 

“Alex!” Michael was yelling loudly. Alex’s head was propped on his thigh and he had a hand on Alex’s cheek, alternatively caressing his face and tapping gently to try and get his attention. Alex rooted towards his hand unconsciously as he fought the pull of the darkness threatening to overwhelm him. “Alex!” Michael cried again. “Don’t go to sleep! Stay awake. Stay with me.” The last part was whispered as Michael hunched over him and it was that, that desperate plea that Alex forcing his eyes open and his hand up to grasp weakly at Michael, his fingers catching on the closest part of him.

“Hey,” he muttered. “I’m okay.”

Michael laughed wetly and pressed his forehead to Alex’s, his tears dropping onto Alex. “You are so far from okay, darlin’. But you will be. I got you.” He kept stroking Alex’s hair as the car bounced along and Alex gradually became aware of a burning pain coursing its way up the right side of his body. The car hit a pothole and Alex couldn’t hold back the pained groan that escaped him.

“Jesus Max, be more careful!” Michael yelled almost immediately.

“I can drive carefully or I can get us the fuck out of there!” Max shouted back. “Faster I drive, faster we get him to a hospital.”

“Why do I need a hospital?” Alex managed to ask as the pain started to really make itself known. It was like it had been hiding until Alex acknowledged it existed and now it was out in full force. “What happened?”

“There was a bomb in the office. Fail safe to make sure the information didn’t get into the wrong hands if the base was infiltrated. You were right outside,” Michael never stopped his hand’s movement through his hair and Alex focused on that instead. “Flint’s dead. Your prosthetic practically melted and, jesus fucking christ, your right side is- it’s-” he didn’t finish but Alex didn’t need him to. He was already familiar with the feeling of his body on literal fire; it was a miracle he hadn’t recognized it sooner.

“Hospital,” he forced out.

“Five minutes,” Max answered from the front seat. “Kyle’s meeting us there.”

“My leg,” Alex grabbed at Michael’s hand. “Don’t- don’t let-”

“I won’t,” Michael assured him. “Kyle won’t go near it, I promise. He’s just gonna deal with the doctors for us. He won’t treat you.”

Alex closed his eyes in relief. “Has anyone-”

“No,” Michael promised. “I got to you first and got you to the car. No one saw your leg.”

“Thank you,” Alex breathed. “Thank you.”

5.

Alex stared at the papers in his hand. Ten years ago, this wouldn’t have been a choice. Hell, five years, one year ago, this would’ve been a no-brainer. But now he was hesitating.

Five more years. Five more years to put off deciding what to do after the military, five more years with official access to Project Shepherd and the means to take down his father. 

Five more years where the military could send him wherever they wanted.

He should do it. The pros outweighed the cons, honestly. And yet-

Alex was a runner. He could justify it to himself all he wanted but he always ran. He ran away from Roswell after Rosa died, he joined the military but made sure he was as far away as possible from his father at all times, he walked away from Michael time and time again at the slightest provocation, hell he even ran from his best friends. He didn’t like having things tying him down. Not friends, not his family, not obligations. He liked having the freedom to pick up and go.

(And maybe he was enough of a coward that he liked being able to just leave painful situations. He didn’t have to deal with his heart being broken or his friends letting him down if he just fucking left.)

It was an enticing offer. Re-upping with the Air Force would let him protect Michael while taking him far enough away that he wouldn’t have to see him all of the time. See him self-destructing because of Alex and his family. See him trying to be happy with Alex’s best friend.

Michael had seen the papers. Alex knew he had. He wasn’t sure when or how but Michael’s behaviour had changed the last few days.

Everyone else was confused by it but Alex understood. He’d seen this side of Michael before; every time he came home, his last few days in town would be like this, Michael preemptively shoving him away so it might hurt just a little bit less when Alex had to leave.

Alex stared at the papers a while longer before he grabbed his keys and got in his truck. It was later than he’d thought, the sun already setting, but he didn’t let it phase him. The fire was already blazing when he pulled up the Airstream, Michael’s form slumped in a chair nearby.

Michael looked up when Alex stepped out of the car but he quickly looked away. “So is this it?” He called out as he tipped his head back to take a large swallow of acetone. “This my goodbye?”

Alex pulled the papers out of his pocket and handed them over without a word. Michael was curious enough to take them but as soon as he read the header he tried to hand them back.

“Just fucking say it!” He yelled. “Don’t- don’t do it like this. Just- just say goodbye. For once.”

“Look at the bottom,” Alex instructed gently.

Michael glared at him, Alex staring back evenly, before he glanced down at the bottom of the page which needed Alex’s signature.

It was blank.

“What- I don’t understand.” Alex pulled the papers out of his slack grip and fed them to the fire. “Wait, what are you doing? Alex?”

“I’m done. My service is up next week and I’m not signing on for more.”

Michael stared at him. “You need to, though. For Project Shepherd.”

Alex nodded. “I do. But re-upping means going where the Air Force dictates and I can’t do that anymore.” Michael stopped breathing. “I can’t leave Roswell. Not again.” I can’t leave you. Not again.

Michael dropped the bottle, uncaring as it spilled out on the ground, and lurched to his feet. He grabbed at Alex, his hands coming up to hold his head gently.

“Why?”

“Because you’re in Roswell,” Alex answered simply, though the words were anything but. “And if you’re here then I’m staying.” He drew in a ragged breath. “I’m staying.”


	23. Guerenti (Malex ref)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when in doubt, kiss Kyle

“Ok,” Kyle huffed as he plopped down on the stair next to Michael Guerin. “What the fuck?”

“I don’t know.” Guerin had his knees propped up and his head hung low between them. “I just- I don’t fucking know.”

Kyle paused. He and Guerin had gotten on better terms lately but they still weren’t exactly what Kyle would call _friends_. “You two need to talk,” he urged gently.

Guerin scoffed. “Yeah. We know. We’re just, uh, not so great at the whole talking thing.”

“Ew,” Kyle screwed his face up in mock disgust. “I don’t need details about your sex lives.”

“That’s not what-” Guerin paused and shrugged. “Ok yeah, that too. But mostly we just suck at talking. It’s like- like everything gets lost in translation somehow.”

“Right,” Kyle agreed slowly. He’d seen their communication misfires firsthand so he knew Guerin wasn’t exaggerating. But- “so you’re solution to sucking at communication is to date other people while clearly being in love with each other and then sabotaging each other’s relationship?”

Guerin shrugged helplessly. “We’re not proud of it. If that makes it any better.”

“Yeaah, not really, no.” Kyle sighed and turned slightly so he could look at Guerin. He’d put his feet down a step so he was hunched forward rather than curled up on the step. Kyle put a hand on his knee to get his attention and Guerin stared at him with a confused look. “You two need to talk.” Guerin opened his mouth but Kyle just kept going. “I get that you two are communicationally challenged but what’s going on now? is not helpful. It’s just making you miserable. It’s making _Alex_ miserable.”

“But _how_?” Guerin shook his head. 

Kyle started to reply when he was cut off by Alex’s shout, “Guerin!” Guerin perked his head up and glanced behind them with wide eyes as Alex’s footsteps came closer.

Just as Alex came around the doorway, Guerin grabbed Kyle’s face with both hands and pulled him into a kiss.

“Well alright then,” he heard Alex mutter over the roaring in his ears. As soon as his footsteps started to fade, Guerin pulled back, his hands frozen in mid air between them as they stared at each other in shock.

“I panicked.” 

“Evidently.”

“I didn’t know what to do.”

“So what? When in doubt, kiss Kyle?!” Kyle stared at him gobsmacked. 

“I should go talk to Alex,” Guerin was already starting to move.

“Yeah. Yeah you should!” Kyle yelled after him as he scurried up the stairs.


	24. Malex

Alex took a deep breath before he got out of the car. A few yards away Michael lifted a beer in greeting, the fire in front of him starting to settle down for the night.

“Tell me you’re here for a beer and not a new emergency,” Michael greeted. “I’m too tired for a new emergency.”

Alex huffed a quiet laugh and shook his head. They’d all had their fills of emergencies the last few months. Michael waved a hand at a cooler close by and the lid opened up. “No thanks,” Alex denied before Michael could pull anything out. Michael lifted an eyebrow in question.

“I, uh-” Alex cleared his throat. “I got new orders.”

Michael froze with the bottle halfway to his lips. “What does that mean?”

“I re-upped with the Air Force,” Alex started and Michael pushed to his feet.

“What? Why?”

Alex closed his eyes briefly. “Project Shepherd.”

“You were shutting that down.”

“Yes. But there’s more. I haven’t found it yet but I know, I _know,_ that Shepherd is just the tip of the iceberg and I can’t find the rest if I get discharged. I have to stay in so I did.”

Michael stared at him, his jaw working like he wanted to say something but wasn’t letting himself get the words out. “How much longer?”

“Another ten years.”

“Jesus christ,” Michael scoffed and looked away. “You’re just going to give your whole life away to the goddamn government aren’t you?”

Alex didn’t bother to answer. “I’m being relocated. I have one week to report to my new posting.”

Michael stared at him, the fire reflecting in his eyes. “No.”

“I don’t exactly have a choice.” Alex smiled sadly. “I don’t get to pick where I serve.”

“So you’re leaving.” _Again_. “Now? After-” Michael swallowed the rest of his sentence but Alex could hear it anyway. Alex was leaving again after they’d just spent months rebuilding their relationship from the ground up. It had been hard and painful but they were making headway and Alex knew, he _knew_ , if he stayed they’d give it another go.

It was part of why he knew he had to leave.

“You were right, you know? I’m still the guy looking for any excuse to walk away.” Michael looked away. “I think I’ll always be that guy, deep down. And I know every time I do, I hurt you.” Alex paused. “I’m tired of hurting you, Guerin. I don’t want to do it anymore. So yeah, I’m leaving. Maybe for good, this time.”

“No.” 

“No?”

“You can’t just leave. Not for good. You’re going to come back. You _have_ to come back.”

Alex shook his head and stuffed his hands in his jacket. “Guerin, all I’ve ever done is hurt you. All my family has ever done is hurt you and destroy your family. I need- I need to fix that. I need to undo what we’ve done. And that means the Air Force and that means leaving Roswell. And I know- I know if I come back, you and I, we’ll,” he cleared his throat. “I’ll just end up hurting you again and I can’t do that.”

He waited a beat to see if Michael had anything else to say but Michael just looked at him, his eyes sad even as he tried to put a blank mask on his face.

Alex turned to go. He made it one step towards his car when Michael’s voice stopped him.

“You asked me once, if I would go with you when you left Roswell.”

Alex closed his eyes and turned slightly over his shoulder. “I’m not asking now.”

“Alex,” Michael’s voice broke and Alex turned around.

“Michael, you have a family here.”

“You’re my family.”

Alex squeezed his eyes shut. “You need to stay. And I need to go. It’s as simple as that.”

This time he made it halfway to his car before Michael tried again. “So you telling me you loved me, that I was your family, that was all bullshit, huh?”

Alex was turned around and halfway to Michael before he realized it. When he did, he didn’t stop. He let his feet carry him all the way to Michael until he crashed into the other man with enough force to make him take a step back. Alex had Michael’s face in his hands and their lips pressed together before Michael could even hope to react. 

Alex poured every ounce of love into that kiss. Michael liked words, he liked saying what he was feeling, but Alex had always communicated best through action. If Michael didn’t believe the things he’d said, Alex could only hope he believed this.

When the need to breathe was too much, Alex broke away. Michael’s hands clenched tight on his hips and stopped him from moving too far.

“For the first seventeen years of my life, I was afraid. I was terrified constantly, to the point where I didn’t know what it meant to not be afraid.” He whispered quietly, his eyes shut. “And then I met you. You made me feel so much that even though the fear never really went away, it didn’t matter. Because for once, I had things that mattered more than the fear. I had you. I had the peace you brought me. I had the love I felt for you.” He slid a hand into Michael’s hair and gripped tight, pulling Michael into a shorter, harder kiss. “I have loved you since I was seventeen years old. I have loved you every day since then and I will love you every day moving forward. Don’t ever fucking doubt that, Michael. But loving you doesn’t seem to stop me from hurting you and I can’t keep hurting you.” Alex took a deep breath and pulled away. “I need to go, Michael. Let me go.”

He opened his eyes to find Michael already looking at him. Alex took a few slow steps backwards, his eyes never leaving Michael’s.

“Let me go, Michael.”

Michael didn’t say anything as Alex took more steps and turned around. Alex made it all the way into his car before Michael moved. 

He knocked gently on the window until Alex rolled it down. Once the glass no longer stood between them, Michael snaked a hand into the car and cupped Alex’s jaw and guided him a gentle kiss. 

It felt like goodbye.

“If you love something, set it free.” He said softly when they parted.


	25. Malex (cont from ch 24)

In the two years since Alex left Roswell in his rearview mirror, Michael had somehow scrambled together a decent life for himself. His heart had cracked open one final time when Alex begged Michael to let him go but Michael stitched it back together, stronger than before.

Alex had kept his word. Since getting his new post, he’d worked tirelessly to take down Project Shepherd. At first, he sent updates to Kyle and Kyle would fill in Michael and Isobel and Max. But then, sometime around the first year, Alex started texting Michael directly.

The texts lasted about a month before Michael gave up one night and just called Alex. He didn’t know where Alex was in the world, certainly not what time zone he was in, but it didn’t matter. Alex picked up. And he picked up every time after that.

For a year, they patched together a relationship that had never quite existed with the comfort of thousands of miles between them. It was easier, somehow, to scream their hurts and whisper their fears when it was just a phone call. 

They didn’t talk about Alex’s work much, not unless Alex had a specific update, but everything else was fair game. Their past, the pain they’d caused each other. The present, keeping up with each other’s lives better than they had since they were in high school. And the future. Not as much, no, but it did come up. 

It was family dinner night at Max and Liz’s when Michael’s phone rang. The first time, he almost didn’t hear it, only pulling it out as it went to voicemail. 

“Who was it?” Isobel asked as he stared at the screen, Alex’s name brightly displayed across it. “Michael?”

Michael shook his head and looked up. “What?”

She laughed. “Who was calling? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Not a ghost, per se, but Alex never called this early. Their phone calls were reserved for the middle of the night. “Uh, no one.” He muttered in reply as the phone started ringing again. “I’m just gonna-”

He pushed to his feet and hurried out the door, oblivious to the sudden silence in his wake. He left his family staring worriedly after him as he crashed outside and the door slammed shut behind him. “What’s wrong?” He answered the phone.

Alex chucked. “Nothing’s wrong. Why would you think something’s wrong?”

“You never call this early.” Michael furrowed his brow. “Something happened.”

“Ah, yeah,” Alex replied. “Something did happen but it’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s pretty good, I think.”

“Oh yeah?”

Alex hummed. “As of twenty minutes ago, Project Shepherd is officially _and_ unofficially shut down. It’s over. All the research has been either destroyed or classified at the highest level, every facility has been located and shut down, and my father and brothers are being court-martialed for carrying out unsanctioned missions on the government’s dime.”

“It’s over,” Michael breathed.

“It’s over,” Alex agreed. “You’re safe. You and Max and Isobel, you’re _safe_.” 

“Holy shi-” Michael laughed. “You did it.”

“Yeah.” Michael could hear the smile in Alex’s voice. “I did it.”

The line was silent for a moment, neither one feeling the need to fill it.

“Are you done yet?”

“What?” Alex’s confusion was evident. “I just told you-”

“Done trying to make up for your family’s sins,” Michael clarified. “Are you ready to come back?”

The silence this time was far less comfortable than the last.

“Michael,” Alex started softly and Michael hung his head. Alex only ever called him by his first name when he was preparing to hurt him. “I-”

“No. Don’t,” Michael cut him off. “It was stupid of me to ask. You made yourself perfectly clear when you left.”

“I’ve got 3 more years.”

“I thought it was 10?” 

“Good behavior,” Alex replied lightly. “With everything that happened, I renegotiated my term of service. I’ll be eligible for an honorable discharge in three years.”

“That’s good,” Michael replied, trying to keep his tone equally light. “Three more years and you get your life back.”

“Yeah.”

Michael cleared his throat. “But you won’t be coming back to Roswell.” He didn’t bother phrasing it as a question. At this point, it wasn’t.

“Michael,” Alex breathed.

“I’ve gotta go,” Michael cut him off, turning back to the house. Max was standing on the patio, waiting. “Thank you. For shutting it all down.”

“Of course,” Alex told him.

Michael hung up before either one of them could say anything else.

“Everything ok?” Max asked as he trudged back towards the house.

Michael nodded. “Project Shepherd is officially dead. We’re safe.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “That was Alex?” Michael just met his gaze but didn’t say anything. “I hope you told him thank you. You sure we’re safe now?”

“Alex says we are, so…”

“Well then let’s go celebrate,” Max nodded back towards the house. “No more looking over our shoulders.”

“Yeah,” Michael tried to smile. Max didn’t say anything, just wrapped an arm around Michael’s shoulders and led him inside. 

–

Michael woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and bacon. He was out of the bed and halfway down the hall before it occurred to him to be quiet but the overriding knowledge that nobody should be in his house spurred him on.

“What the fuck?” 

Alex didn’t even bother to look at him. He was stood at the stove, carefully plating the bacon and eggs.

“Alex?” Michael asked. “Am I dreaming?”

“You dream about me making breakfast often?”

“Yes,” Michael answered before he could stop himself. Alex paused briefly in his movements before setting the pans back down on the stove. Only after making sure the burners were off did he turn around.

He looked good.

Michael wasn’t sure where he’d been these last few years but it clearly wasn’t stuck behind a desk in a dark room. 

“What are you doing here?”

“You should go grocery shopping,” Alex replied as he reached for the plates and carried them to the table. “Your food selection is appalling.”

“I usually eat in town,” Michael replied numbly. He didn’t move. “What are you doing here?”

It had been almost six months since Project Shepherd was shut down. Six months since they’d spoken. Alex sighed. “Could we eat first?”

“No,” Michael denied immediately. “You said you were never coming back to Roswell. What are you doing in my kitchen? Why are you making me breakfast?”

“Technically, it’s my kitchen,” Alex protested lightly. And sure, Michael had set up camp in the cabin after Alex left but _that was not the point right now_. “I miss you,” he admitted as he sipped at his coffee. 

Michael sagged against the wall. “You miss me?” Alex nodded. “Well fuck Alex I miss you too. But that doesn’t answer my question. You said-”

“I know what I said.” Alex let out a breath and stood up. It was only about two steps across the kitchen but Alex stayed where he was by the table. “I miss you, Michael. And I know I said I wasn’t coming back but goddammit, Michael. I really fucking miss you.”

“So, what? You came for a visit?”

Alex closed his eyes briefly. “I still owe the Air Force two and a half more years.”

“So you’re leaving again.”

“Yes,” Alex admitted slowly. “For two and a half years. But then I get my life back and I can go wherever I want.”

“Even Roswell?”

“Even Roswell.”

“And is that what you want?” Michael asked quietly.

“What I want is you,” Alex confessed. Michael stamped down a sob. “I really don’t care where that is as long as I’m with you.”

“Alex,” Michael started. “You can’t just say things like that. Not after-”

Alex rubbed at the back of his head. “I won’t say it was a mistake, re-upping and leaving Roswell, because I don’t think it was. I needed to take down Project Shepherd. I needed to undo my family’s legacy and I needed to make sure you were safe.” He paused. “And I needed space. We needed space. We kept hurting each other.”

“And you think, what? We’ll magically stop hurting each other?”

“Not necessarily,” Alex countered. “I think we are uniquely capable of hurting each other like no one else and I can’t promise we won’t do it in the future. But I can promise you that I won’t leave. That I’ll be here to fix whatever I fuck up.”

“And how are you going to do that if you’re in the Air Force?”

“Come with me,” Alex asked.

Michael stared at him, his jaw dropped. “It is way too fucking early for this shit.”

“I said we should eat breakfast first,” Alex muttered and Michael shot him a glare.

“A head’s up that you were coming would’ve been nice.”

Alex shrugged. “I was planning to come see you today. Didn’t expect to find you living in my cabin.”

Michael looked away as his cheeks flushed. He wasn’t about to admit that he’d moved in because it was the only left of Alex in the entire town. Somehow, he thought Alex might have figured that out on his own anyway. “You don’t honestly expect me to pick up and follow you wherever, do you?” Now Alex looked away. “I’ve got a life here. My family’s here.”

“It’s two and a half years,” Alex said again. “And then we could come back.”

“Alex-”

“Or not,” Alex continued over him and Michael’s heart stopped. “Or we could wait until I get out and then come back and we can try again then, if we want to, but I don’t want to wait. We’ve lost enough time, I don’t want to lose any more.”

“Why?” Michael forced out. At some point while they spoke, Alex had taken the two steps across the kitchen and was now merely inches away. 

“Do you remember what you said to me when I left?” Alex asked softly.

“If you love something, set it free,” Michael replied immediately.

“If it comes back, it’s yours,” Alex finished. He reached out and drew a finger along Michael’s jaw. “I’ve always been yours, Michael.”

Michael couldn’t take it anymore. He closed the gap between them and dug his hands into Alex’s hair as he pulled him into a kiss. Suddenly, the world made sense again. It was like everything had been a little off ever since Alex left but he was back and he was back in Michael’s arms and things just snapped back into place.

“You’re insane,” Michael told him when they separated. “Absolutely batshit insane to come in here after two and half years and just expect me to pick up and follow you wherever.”

“So that’s a no?” Alex asked. “Because you’re sending some mixed signals here.”

“Fucking crazy,” Michael muttered as he kissed him again. “We’ll figure it out. I don’t know how yet, but we’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah?” Alex asked.

“Yeah,” Michael breathed into his mouth as they crashed together again.


	26. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on the teaser trailer footage

“If I left Roswell and I asked you to come with me, would you?”

Michael froze, his jaw falling slack as he stared at Alex. “What?”

“If I asked you-”

“You’re running away? Again? _Now?”_ Michael cut him off. He could feel the tears brimming in his eyes and he wondered how’d they gotten to this point. “My brother is _dead_ , my sister is a fucking mess, and there’s a massive government conspiracy specifically engineered to hunt us down and kill or capture us and you want to _run away_?”

Alex shook his head, his eyes glassy but dry. “That’s not what I said.”

“Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure you just said you were leaving.” _Again_ , Michael didn’t bother to point out a second time. They both knew Alex’s history of walking away. 

“ _If._ I said if I left,” Alex reminded him softly. 

“How can you even think of leaving right now?” Michael asked harshly. “We’re knee deep in shit and we need you here to help us deal with it. And you want to bail?”

Alex glared at him. “Fuck you. I’m not bailing on anyone. I know exactly how much shit we’re all in. Don’t you dare accuse me of being a coward and running from this fight. Do you honestly think I’d just abandon you, all of you, right now?”

“You said-”

“I asked if you would come with me,” Alex spoke over him. “Would you?”

Michael stared at him, chest heaving as he tried to calm down. Alex had never asked him to come with him before. He’d begged Michael to answer the phone or respond to his emails but he’d never asked Michael to leave Roswell. Not for him. 

“If I stayed, would you stay with me?”

“Yes.” 


	27. Alex + Maria (Malex and Miluca ref)

Maria didn’t pause to overthink herself. The second she pulled in behind Alex’s truck she shut the engine off and was out of the car, package securely in hand. 

It was a short distance from the car to the door but by the time she cleared the steps the door was swinging open, Alex filling the doorway with an uneasy look on his face. Maria wasn’t having it.

“I need a friend and alcohol and as sad as my life is right now you’re all I’ve got. Think we can stow our shit for a few hours?” She asked brightly as she kept moving. She didn’t stop to wait for an answer. A few decades of friendship powered her through the door and past Alex’s frozen frame until she plopped herself on the couch. The door closed softly as she busied herself pulling bottles of alcohol out of the bag. 

There was a laptop open on the other end of the coffee table and a stack of papers sitting next to it but it was gone before Maria could get a good look at any of it, Alex scooping it all open and disappearing it without a word. He returned a moment later with two glasses and a bottle opener but Maria ignored them. She wasn’t really one for wine and she didn’t plan on needing a glass. When she didn’t move to take either item, Alex dropped them onto the table and took a bottle from Maria’s outstretched hand. 

Maria set the extras aside and opened her own bottle of tequila before settling back against the couch cushions and propping her feet up on the table. 

Alex said nothing as she took a large swig. 

Maria said nothing as he took a small sip of the whiskey she’d given him, his body still tense.

They sat in pained silence for a while as they each sipped their drinks, Maria unwilling to start talking and Alex clearly not willing to press. 

“Y’know, I kind of hate you,” Maria admitted after a good portion of her bottle was gone. 

Alex started. “Maria-”

“You left,” Maria spoke over him. She came here to vent not to have a conversation. “You and Liz, you both just left. Rosa died and the two of you vanished and I had to stay. I had to stay here _alone_.” She took another swig. “Ten years, Alex. Ten years with only the occasional text or email.” She shook her head. “I saw you twice between graduation and you moving home a few months ago. Twice. In ten years. I didn’t Liz at all. Hadn’t even heard from her in almost nine years.”

She stopped and took a sip, her eyes fixed on the window over Alex’s head. Alex took a large swig. 

“Do you want me to apologize?” Alex asked softly. He paused, waiting for her to cut him off again but she stayed silent. “I’m sorry, Maria. It was a really shitty thing to do, to just disappear on you like that. I should have stayed in touch more but-”

“But it happens. People grow apart,” Maria finished for him. “We’re not the people we were in high school, Alex. We’re not the friends we were in high school.”

“No,” Alex agreed quietly. “We’re not.”

Maria took a sip. “You know who’s been there for me? I don’t have many friends Alex, not really. I’ve got people to drink with at the bar, I’ve got employees, but I don’t have friends. Not like I had you and Liz and Rosa. What I do have? What I _did_ have? Was Michael Guerin.” She dropped her gaze in time to see him flinch. “For ten years, he was the closest thing I had to a real friend in this town. Sure, we’ve never been close, not like you and I were in high school, but he was the one person I could count on if I needed something. I need the sign fixed? I go to Guerin. He’ll fix it up and not charge me out the ass for it. I can trust him.” She let out a harsh laugh and shook her head. “You and Liz were great with my mom that day but when it came time to actually put her in a home you know who was there? Guerin.”

“Maria-”

“I didn’t expect anything from you, Alex. Like we’ve said, we’re not the friends we used to be a few days of nostalgia doesn’t change that. Do I want us to be close again? Yeah, I would really like that. But we aren’t. Not really.” She took a sip and closed her eyes briefly before looking at Alex. He had a lot more whiskey in his bottle than she had tequila in hers. “I don’t owe you anything, Alex. Not when it comes to Michael Guerin.” Alex took a large sip and nodded.

“You don’t,” he agreed. 

“He is someone that I care about, someone I can rely on, someone who has been there for me when I really needed him, and he is someone I can very easily grow to love. And he wants to be with me.” Alex closed his eyes, his body tensed like he was waiting for another blow. “And if I want to be with him, I do not need your permission or your blessing.” 

She paused to see if he would say anything but he just took a large swig from his bottle.

“If I move forward with him, you and I will never be friends again, will we?”

“We’ll always be friends, Maria,” Alex promised softly. 

Maria smiled sadly. “But not like we were. We will never get back there.”

“No. No, we won’t.”

“You two had something ten years ago while I’ve had a solid decade to build up my relationship with him.”

“Ten years of being his friend with the chance now to be more, how can you say no? I’m not sure a decade old friendship should give you any pause.” Alex looked at her sadly.

“Don’t give me an ultimatum, Alex.”

“I’m not,” Alex protested. And the worst part was, Maria knew he wasn’t. He’d already said he would always be her friend. The question was, could they ever go back to who they’d been to each other or would they stay as they were? And the decision was in Maria’s hands.

She dropped her feet to the floor and gave him a hard look. “Tell me something, Alex.”

“Ok,” he agreed after a beat. “What do you want to know?”

“What is he to you?” She didn’t bother specifying who.

“Everything,” Alex exhaled softly without pausing to think about it. Maria flinched. “He’s my family and my home and my one safe space in this fucked up world we live in. He’s-” he stopped and took a sip and Maria fell back against the couch.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Alex’s face twisted into a weird semblance of a smile. “We’re not who we used to be, Maria. And back then? Back then everything happened so fast and then Rosa died and I left and- and we just fell apart.” Maria somehow got the impression that he was talking about both he and Michael and the two of them.

They drank in silence a while longer until their bottles were more empty than full. 

“You said you hated me,” Alex spoke too loudly into the silence. “When you started talking, you said you hated me. Was it just because I left?”

Maria took a large swallow. “No. Y’know. I’ve never seen the two of you together. There was one time at the bar but I was busy and I didn’t really pay attention. I didn’t even know I should be paying attention.” She laughed. “I’ve talked to you about him and him about you but I’ve never _seen_ you two together. Not until yesterday.”

Alex closed his eyes as he remembered. Maria followed suit, her eyes slipping shut as she sank somehow deeper into the couch. The day before was the first time Maria had been to a meeting of the minds, as it were. She’d discovered the alien secret a few days earlier by accident but that was the first time she’d been brought up to speed on everything that had been going on in her friends’ lives. It was also the first time she’d been stuck in a room with both Michael and Alex and it had been painful. In more ways than one.

Her psychic senses were off the charts with the heavy emotions coming off the two of them but she hadn’t needed them to tell her what was readily apparent. The two of them gravitated towards each other unthinkingly. There had been a few times where one or both would notice that they were closer than they’d been and had to take a conscious step away. It was usually only a small step but both of them would get a pained expression every time, like that little bit of distance, that little bit of forced distance, was causing them physical injury. 

It wasn’t just their bodies that sought each other out, either. Alex had left the room to get something to show everyone and Michael’s eyes had tracked him the whole way. Even when Alex was gone, Michael’s eyes barely left the doorway he’d disappeared through. The meeting hadn’t lasted even an hour but Maria was ready to run away five minutes in. 

“You said he was the guy from high school. He said whatever you two had was long over,” Maria finally said. “I don’t know what the truth is and honestly,” she waved a hand in the air, “I don’t really care. You were right when you said it was a choice between our old friendship and letting something grow with him. And I made that choice. Because you left once and I feel like you’ve had one foot out the door since you came back so choosing you over him seemed really stupid. But then I saw you two together and I realized, I’m a fucking idiot.” She started laughing, a harsh choking sound that was more sobbing than laughter. It took her a few minutes to get herself under control, Alex staying silent the whole while. “I’m always going to be his second choice. He cares about me, I know he does, and I think he could love me just as much as I could love him but no matter what, I will always be second to you.” She started to shake her head before she stopped and pressed a hand to her forehead. “I can’t do that. I can’t be second choice. And I really fucking hate you for making me that way. I know it’s not something either of you can control but dammit, Alex, we could’ve been good together. We could’ve been great, even. And now I’ll never know.”

“I’m sorry.”

Maria scoffed and glared at him. “No, you’re not. You didn’t want us to be together.”

Alex sighed heavily. “Did I want to watch the love of my life be in a relationship with someone else? No, of course not.” Maria couldn’t hold back the little sob that escaped her at the term. “But I didn’t want you to get hurt, either. I want you to have something, someone, great. You deserve it. And I’m sorry that I’m getting in the way of that.” He slid down on the couch until he was lying flat, an arm outstretched with the bottle dangling close to the floor. 

Maria blinked away a few tears and let herself mimic him. She pressed her face into the couch and dropped the nearly empty bottle to the ground, not caring if the last dregs of tequila spilled out. Alex could clean it later.

—

There was a light sound at the door before it swung open and Maria stirred. It was dark outside but there was enough ambient light to highlight the shadowy form in the doorway, a man with broad shoulders and a cowboy hat on his head. Maria turned away and pressed her face into the couch. It had definitely been the middle of the afternoon when she came over. She didn’t want to think about what time it was now. Or why Michael was letting himself into Alex’s house in the middle of the night.

She listened as Michael stepped past her to go to the other couch. He murmured softly, nonsensical words in a gently voice. Slowly, because the room was definitely spinning more than it should be, she craned her neck to watch. 

Alex’s face was twisted in pain and Michael continued to speak softly as he rolled up the pant leg on Alex’s right leg. She watched as Michael revealed the prosthetic until she could see where it attached to Alex’s leg. The mechanism looked twisted and Michael worked quickly but gently to loosen it and pull it away. 

Maria turned her head before she saw anymore. Alex had always been private about his injury and it wasn’t her place. She tried not to feel bitter about the revelation that it was clearly Michael’s place. 

It was only a minute, if that, before Michael was crouching in front of her but listening to him care for Alex made the seconds stretch.

“What are you doing here?” She croaked.

Michael’s face twisted. “You called me.”

“Wha-” she tried to shake her head. “No, I didn’t.”

Michael hummed. “Six times, actually.”

Maria tried to sit up, Michael’s hands coming up to help her. “What did I say?”

“A lot of things,” Michael admitted, his voice sad. “But the main gist was you were here and you and I were through.”

She started to nod before stopping herself. “We are. So why come?”

“You were really upset.”

“That doesn’t tell me why you came here.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay, Maria.”

“Well, I’m not. Alex is fine, though, glad you checked on him first.” Michael flinched and Maria closed her eyes. “That was bitchy. I’m drunk and upset and I shouldn’t have said that.”

Michael didn’t say anything.

“Can you take me home?” Maria asked. “I don’t- I just want my bed.”

“Sure,” Michael agreed easily.

“Without you in it,” Maria clarified. “We’re so done.”

“I know,” he promised quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“You should have told me the truth. About you and him.”

“I know.”

“You love him. You’re in love with him.” She almost meant it as an accusation but it just came out tired.

“Yeah,” Michael confirmed softly, no hesitation in his voice. “He’s-”

“Everything?” Maria supplied.

Michael looked at her oddly but nodded after a pause. “Yeah.”

Maria nodded. “We’re so very very over.”


	28. Alex (Malex ref, other characters featured)

He just wanted a cup of coffee. Was that too much to ask for in this town?

He should’ve known something was up earlier, it’s true, but when the excitement of Max’s resurrection finally died down, everyone had sort of taken a step back from each other to just breathe. The months of research and testing it took to get Max out of the pod and breathing again had been exhausting and Alex had needed the down time in its aftermath.

But he still should’ve known. He was an intelligence officer, for god’s sake. Noticing things was literally his job.

And yet.

He wasn’t sure what clued him in first. If it was the way he had to ask Liz three times for a cup of coffee before he finally just got up and got it himself or if it was the way her whole body tensed up when Maria and Isobel blew through the front doors of the Crashdown (and that was an odd pairing he was still getting used to seeing).

“Anything?” Liz asked, her tone wary like she wasn’t actually expecting a positive answer but she needed to ask anyway.

Isobel shook her head with a huff as Maria just sort of fell onto one of the stools at the far end of the counter. She dropped her head into her hands. “Where the hell could he have gone?”

“Screw that,” Isobel countered. “I want to know what the hell he was thinking. He can’t just take off like that not after everything.” Her tone was gruff with anger but Alex could see the worry underneath clear across the cafe.

Liz shook her head and poured them each a cup of coffee. “Is there anywhere he might have gone? Any friends outside of town?”

Isobel glared at Liz. “Oh gee Liz, why didn’t I think of that?” Liz dropped the pot onto the countertop and glared back. “No, he doesn’t have any friends outside of town. Everyone he knows is here in Roswell.”

Alex was trying not to listen in. He’d taken a definitive step back from alien related drama (outside of his continued research into Project Shepherd, of course) and he didn’t want to get involved when they clearly hadn’t asked him to be. But something was clearly wrong and Alex had a sinking feeling as to who the ‘he’ they kept referring to was.

His suspicion was confirmed a minute later when the front door crashed open and Max stalked in. He headed straight for Isobel, his mouth open to ask a question but Isobel was already shaking her head. Max dropped onto a free stool with a huff. “His truck and the Airstream are both gone. If something had happened to him, they would still be here which means Michael left of his own volition.” It was clear from Max’s voice that he’d said this before, likely several times as the others grew more and more worried. “I don’t know where he is, but I can only assume that he’s not hurt and he needed to leave for some reason.”

“Right, because you’re an expert in all things Michael,” Isobel snapped. Max just leveled a look at her before glancing around the Crashdown. It was that odd hour in the morning between the breakfast and lunch rushes but the place wasn’t empty by any means.

Max lowered his voice. “What do you think happened, Is? Do you think someone kidnapped him and decided to steal the Airstream for shit’s and giggles?”

“I don’t know,” Isobel told him, a steely glint in her eyes that had Alex leaning away from the group. “But I know I’m not going to leave my brother all alone if he needs me.”

Maria pushed herself to her feet and tapped Isobel on the arm. “Come on. There are still some places we can look, just in case.”

“He still not answering his phone?” Liz asked as the other two women gathered their things.

Max coughed lightly and pulled a phone out of his pocket and held it up. “It was on my front porch this morning.”

Isobel snatched it from him and spun away, out the door before anyone could try and stop her. Maria followed closely behind. Alex wasn’t sure what they thought they could accomplish at this point but he wasn’t going to stop them. He waited until Max and Liz seemed occupied with each other before he slipped quietly out the door.

His phone was in his hand before he could even think about it, the unknown number from two nights ago glaring at him from his recent calls. Alex shook his head and called back.

“What’s wrong?” Michael answered.

“You’re an asshole,” Alex told him as he got into his car. “I just overheard Max, Isobel, Liz, and Maria freaking out because they have no idea where you are and what happened to you. I’m pretty sure Isobel thinks you’ve been kidnapped.”

“Did you tell them?” Michael’s voice was soft.

Alex sighed and rubbed at his eyes. He needed more coffee. His mug was still sitting half-full on the counter where he’d left it. “No. I figured if you’d wanted them to know you would have told them. Which, why the fuck didn’t you tell them? You told _me_.”

“No more secrets. No more lies, Alex,” Michael reminded him of their promise. It was something they’d agreed to after Michael started dating Maria and had hidden it from Alex. Alex wasn’t sure which part had hurt more, the fact that they were dating or the fact that they’d both put a concerted effort into hiding it from him. After it came out, Alex had demanded that Michael tell him the truth, no matter how much it hurt him. Michael had agreed only on the condition that Alex return the favor.

“What, you don’t have one of those deals with your sister or your girlfriend?” Alex groaned.

“No,” Michael answered simply. “Isobel doesn’t need to know everything about me and Maria and I have always had secrets.”

“Ok fine, have your secrets but you can’t just up and move away in the middle of the night without telling anyone!”

“I told you.”

“Michael,” Alex groaned, his head thumping against the headrest. “Why did you tell me? Why _didn’t_ you tell anyone else?”

Michael sighed on the other end of the phone. “I need to do this, Alex. And as much as I love my family, I need to do this without them. Do you think Isobel would leave me alone if she knew?”

“Yes,” Alex told him. He’d gotten to know Isobel pretty well over the last couple of months and she could be overprotective of her brothers but she loved them. “She loves you. She wants you to be happy. Just tell her the truth, tell her you need her to back off for a while, and she’ll do it. But don’t leave her in the dark. Don’t leave any of them in the dark. They’re seriously worried about you.”

Michael scoffed but it was soft, like he was finally starting to accept that people might worry about him. “I’m not ready yet. Can you- can you tell them I’m okay? And that I’ll call them when I’m ready?”

“No. You can do that. Fucking send an email, I don’t know, but it needs to come from you.” Not the ex-whatever that really did not want to get in the middle of Michael’s family drama, he didn’t add.

There was silence on the line.

Alex groaned. “You’re going to college, Michael, not joining the mafia. It’s good news. They’ll be happy for you. Just _tell them_.”

“I’ll send Izzy and email,” Michael conceded. “But don’t tell them where I am.”

“And Maria? You can’t just leave her hanging like this.”

“I left Maria a letter. She’ll find it eventually.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“I know. But I need this, Alex. I need space. And time.”

“Alright. Alright, fine. But tell Isobel.”

“I will. I promise.” Michael paused. “And uh- don’t lose my number, yeah?”

Alex closed his eyes. If Michael was saying what he thought he was saying-

“I need a break from them. From Roswell. Not- not necessarily from you,” Michael continued. “I’ve had enough breaks from you. I don’t want-”

“Yeah,” Alex replied after a while. “Yeah, okay.”

He jolted at a sharp tapping on the window and turned to see Max standing outside his door, a hand braced on the hood as he stared Alex down.

“I gotta go,” he said into the phone as he rolled the window down, “the cops are here.”

“Don’t tell him,” Michael hissed as he hung up. Alex calmly put the phone into his cupholder and turned to face Max.

“Problem, officer?”

“Where’s Michael?”

Alex plastered an innocent look on his face and tilted his head in confusion. “How should I know? I haven’t seen Michael in-” _in about 36 hours since he showed up on my doorstep to tell me he was moving to Albuquerque to attend UNM-_ “a while.”

Max nodded sarcastically. “Where’s my brother, Manes?” He asked again.

“Can’t help you Max,” Alex told him. “But I think maybe Isobel will be able to, very soon.”

Max stared at him. Alex stared at back.

“Is he okay?” Max asked finally. Alex opened his mouth to deny any knowledge but Max cut him off. “He doesn’t want us to know where he is for some reason, fine, but is he okay?”

Alex paused then nodded once, sharply.

Max let out a breath and hung his head briefly. “Okay. Okay.” He nodded. “You let me know if that changes?”

Alex nodded again but stayed silent.

Max nodded and thumped the roof of his car. “Okay. Thanks.” He turned and walked away.

The cupholder buzzed at a new text message.

_You told him didn’t you?_

Alex rolled his eyes.


	29. Malex (soulmate au)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> au post 1x11 where Alex and Kyle weren't completely AWOL for the aftermath of Noah
> 
> soulmate au where you see in black and white until you make contact with your soulmate and the world is suddenly in color

Michael and Isobel fretted over each other as they made their way to the command center. Isobel was still raw from the revelation of Noah’s deep betrayal and she was trying to mask it by worrying over what effects the mysterious powder may have had on Michael. For his part, Michael was too worried about his sister’s state of mind (re: Noah) to care too much about himself. 

“Stop that,” Isobel finally snapped when Michael brushed her off once too many times. She stopped in the middle of the hallway and grabbed Michael’s arm. “I need to know you’re okay, Michael. Please. There’s too much going on right now that I can’t control and I just need you and Max to be okay.”

Michael pulled her into a hug. “I’m fine. Max is fine. Whatever Noah did to us, it wasn’t permanent.” He rubbed a hand up and down her back. “We’re okay.”

Isobel sighed into him before squaring her shoulders and pulling away. “Good. Now let’s go see if they figured out what the hell he did do.” She stalked down the hallway with a sudden determination that just made Michael tired. It had been a long day and he was not ready to deal with whatever was going on in that room.

The voices reached them before they reached the command center.

“Describe it,” Liz ordered. 

“Powder.” Michael could hear Max’s practiced patience in the one word. He couldn’t imagine how many times Liz had asked him the same question by now to get that tone out of Max.

“Was it like sand? Or sugar? Or flour? Were the individual grains large or small? Coarse or smooth? Did it float in the air or fall to the ground?” Liz asked in a huff as Isobel and Michael entered the room. “I mean, fuck, what color was it?” The last question was sarcastic but Michael was too tired to notice.

“It was yellow,” he answered as he dropped into a chair, his eyes closing as he sat down.

The room fell silent immediately and Michael opened his eyes to find four people staring at him with varying degrees of disbelief and annoyance.

“You know what color it was?” Kyle asked.

Max scoffed. “This isn’t a time to joke around, Michael. Of course he doesn’t know what color it was.”

Oh yeah, that’s right, Michael mused as he let his eyes fall closed again. He wasn’t supposed to know. Colors only appeared after making contact with your soulmate and it was estimated that at any given time over 75% of the population saw in only black and white. Of the 25% who saw more than that, 23% only met their soulmate after at least the age of 20. Michael’s been seeing color ever since he borrowed a pencil off of the kid next to him his first day at Roswell Middle School. He was 11. 

He’d been so excited when it happened that he told literally everyone. It was the only time he’d voluntarily shared information about himself until the world collectively called him a liar. No one found their soulmate at 11, they said. No kid ever saw in color, they said. You’re lying, they said. So Michael stopped talking about it. He’d spent the past 17 years carefully avoiding any mention of color and in one moment of tiredness, he’d let it all slip.

“Found it,” Alex’s voice cut through the bickering group. As one, they all turned to face him where he sat at the computer as he pulled up a file from Project Shepherd.

“What do you mean you found it?” Isobel asked as she stepped closer. “What is it?”

“It comes from a flower that was found near the crash site,” Alex explained without turning around. “When in close proximity to an alien being, it renders that beings abilities null,” he read from the screen. 

“Sounds right,” Max also stepped forward. “How can you be so sure though?”

“It’s the only yellow powder referenced.”

Everyone paused. “You only have Guerin’s word that it was yellow,” Kyle cautioned. “And Max and Isobel both agree that he can’t see color.”

Liz looked back at him apologetically. “We should cross reference those effects with any other powder listed.”

“No need. This is the one.” Alex scrolled down the page. “Doesn’t look like it has any lasting effects. To remove the powder’s influence, merely remove from the alien’s presence. Since you two are out of the bunker and away from the powder, you should both be fine.” He glanced over his shoulder at Max and Michael and both men nodded. “Great. Then we’re done here.”

“Check if there are any other powders,” Isobel ordered. She crossed her arms over her chest and Michael dismissed the sting of her doubt as he focused on her obvious concern.

“Izzy, he doesn’t need to. That’s the powder. Max and I are fine.”

Isobel turned on him. “Why would you say it’s yellow?”

“Because it was.”

She laughed. “You don’t know that.” She waved a hand at Alex. “And he shouldn’t just take your word blindly for it.”

Soulmates are funny things, Michael had found. One touch and your world exploded into color. Afterwards, just being around the other person made everything _more_. The world was brighter and louder, emotions were heightened, good and bad. But that was it. That was the extent of the connection. The world told you who your perfect match was and then left you to figure it out on your own. Michael shouldn’t have been surprised when they fucked it up.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Michael snapped his head up to stare at Alex as he spoke. “He said it was yellow. I believe him.”

“You believe a guy you barely knew ten years ago when he says he sees color even though his siblings disagree?” Liz sounded honestly curious.

“Yup.”

“Why?”

Alex shrugged. “Because I know that he knows what yellow looks like.”

Max sighed. “You get that he doesn’t right? That we’re not even sure if we can ever see color?”

Alex nailed him with a hard glare. “I know damn well that he can see color because we’ve been seeing it since we met.”

Nobody spoke. Hell, nobody _breathed_.

“ _What_?” The other four asked in unison.

Michael laughed and leaned back in his chair. “I told you it was yellow.”


	30. Malex ft Alex/OMC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the lovely el_gilliath's birthday

If it weren’t for the soft pillow under his face, Michael would have thought that the pounding was coming from outside. But he didn’t have any nice pillows so he wasn’t at home which meant that the pounding was entirely in his own head. He rolled over with a soft groan and opened his eyes a tiny amount. It was blissfully dark in the room and he was alone in the bed. He didn’t need to look any further than that to know where he was. 

“Alex?” He winced at the sound of his own voice. 

“Bedside table,” Alex’s voice called softly from the kitchen. Michael turned his head slowly to see a bottle of water and three advil sitting right next to where his head had been a moment ago. He downed the pills and the water quickly before staggering into the bathroom to clean himself up.

When he came out he found his clothes from the night before in a small pile on the end of the bed and pulled his jeans on. He left the rest sitting there as he walked towards the kitchen.

The rest of the house was significantly brighter than Alex’s bedroom and Michael spared a thought to thank Alex silently for buying black out curtains. “Morning.”

“Afternoon,” Alex corrected as he came in the back door with Buffy just behind him. “It’s almost 3.”

Michael cursed under his breath and swiped his phone off of the counter, the charging cord pulling out as he yanked it towards him. He started to call his boss when Alex piped up, “it’s Sunday.” The tension fell away in an instant and he dropped the phone to the table. 

“I did not mean to drink that much.”

“I’m sure,” Alex mused as he handed over a cup of coffee. 

“Thanks for coming to get me,” Michael mumbled as he took a careful sip. He didn’t remember much from last night but he had no doubt that he’d called Alex at some point to come pick him up after he’d struck out for the night. It had become a slightly worrying habit in the last few years. After his relationship with Maria fell apart, both of them realizing they wanted different things, Michael had turned back to drinking and anonymous sex to fill the void. Sometimes he managed moderation but more nights than not he ended up over the edge and Alex had taken up the mantle of making sure he was okay. It wasn’t fair to Alex, he knew that, but Alex always answered when he called so Michael kept calling.

Alex hummed as he walked past him into the living room. He never liked talking about the new dynamics of their relationship. Not that they had one, really. They weren’t together, they weren’t even friends so much. Michael was drunk 90% of the time they interacted and he knew it couldn’t be fun for Alex but Michael didn’t know how to stop. Alex had become his safety net, his insurance policy that no matter what stupid shit he did, he’d always have a way out. 

Michael finished his coffee and grabbed a banana off of the counter before heading back to the bedroom and putting on the rest of his clothes. He tried to straighten his side of the bed, the other side undisturbed as it always was when Alex brought him here to sleep it off, and tidy up the little mess he’d made. 

“I’ll see you,” he waved a hand at Alex as he headed for the door. Alex didn’t reply right away, his hands clenched in front of his face as he stared off into nothing. He finally called his name just as he was pulling the door closed behind him.

Michael wasn’t sure if it was his tone of voice or the fact that he’d called him Michael but he turned on the spot and was back inside in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

Alex didn’t look at him, his eyes still stuck on nothing as he spoke. “I had a date last night.”

Michael blinked. “Okay?” Alex dating wasn’t new.

“I like him. A lot.”

“…okay?” Michael wasn’t sure why Alex was telling him this but he wasn’t sure he liked it. They were long over, truly this time, had been for years. They’d both been with other people several times over at this point but it was never fun hearing about it.

Alex huffed. “You called in the middle of the date.”

Michael winced. “Sorry? You didn’t have to come.”

“Yes I did.” Alex finally looked at him. “If you call, I will come, that’s how this works. That’s how _I_ work. But- but I like him, Michael. And I want to go on more dates with him and that’s not going to happen if I leave in the middle of dinner at the drop of a hat.” Michael’s shoulders started to tense as he realized where this was going. “I love you. I will always love you, and I will always be there for you if you need me. But you don’t want me and you don’t want to be with me, so I need you to need me a little less. I need you to be okay without me because I need to move on. And I can’t do that so long as you keep needing me.”

Michael didn’t know how to respond. His throat ran dry and his mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. He could understand where Alex was coming from, it was plain enough to see, but he was stuck on the other part of what he’d said. _I love you_. It was the first time he’d ever said those words and it was in the same breath as asking Michael to let him go.

“Michael?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “I won’t call you anymore.”

“That’s not- I’m not saying never call me again, okay? Like I said, I’ll be there if you need me, it’s just-”

“I got it, Alex. I’ll start calling Liz or Isobel first.” He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “He a good guy?”

Alex gave him a small but genuine smile. “Yeah. He is.”

“Good. You deserve that.” He jerked his thumb at the door. “I should get going.”

Alex nodded his head jerkily. “Yeah. Drive safe.” He ducked his head but Michael could see the tell tale signs of tearing brimming in his eyes as he walked out the door.

—

Michael sat on it for three weeks (and two days). Three weeks (and two days) where he didn’t call Alex. Three weeks (and two days) during which he ran into Alex and his new boyfriend no less than six times. Each time he saw Alex, the man had a bright smile on his face. Twice he heard him laugh like he hadn’t in years. 

He waited another nine days wherein he drank less and slept with no one before pulling out his phone at three o’clock in the morning. It was a bad idea, he knew it when he thought of it, he knew it when he decided to do it, hell he knew it when he did it, but he didn’t stop.

_[To: Alex 3:02am]_

_You were wrong. I do want you and I do want to be with you. I just don’t know how. I love you and apparently you love me so why couldn’t we ever make it work? Why can you smile and laugh with someone else but not with me? Why can’t I make you happy? Why aren’t we enough?_

_I’m happy you’re happy, Alex. I’m happy he makes you smile and laugh and not cry. I just wish it was me._

His phone rang three minutes later, Alex’s name flashing on the screen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know in the comments if you recognize the inspiration for this. No one on tumblr mentioned it and i dont know if its because no one knows the source show/scene i based this on or if i just didnt make it clear


	31. Malex (Inception fusion)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the lovely notsodarling's birthday

They were a mess, all of them. It had been four days. Four days since Caulfield, four days since Max, since _Rosa_ , and none of them were functioning well at all.

Alex and Michael were reeling from their last confrontation, Maria was half in denial about the alien secret she’d finally been let in on, Liz, Isobel, and Michael were in complete denial about Max’s death, Rosa was trying to come to grips with having missed ten years of her life, and the rest of them were just trying to process the fact that Rosa was alive again. 

And in the midst of all of that, there was Jesse Manes.

It was a good thing Kyle had wrangled him his own room at the hospital or this would have been very suspicious. The whole group of them were gathered around his bed, his father still deep in his medically induced coma, as they tried to figure out just what the hell to do about him. Maria, Kyle, and even Alex were against anything drastic. The idea of murdering his own father just a step too far for Alex, not unless it was absolutely necessary. Isobel and Michael were on board for any plan that would permanently remove him as a threat to their survival, which Alex understood, while Liz and Rosa were just bouncing around ideas. 

“I don’t understand why you can’t just make him leave,” Kyle said for the _fourth_ time.

Isobel glared at him, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “I can’t make someone do something he doesn’t want to do.”

“Is there anything we can blackmail him with?” Rosa asked as she settled into a chair, her legs kicked over one of the arms. “Make him leave town and never return?”

“Tried that already,” Alex told her. “Didn’t work for very long.”

“I still say we just k-”

“No,” Maria cut Michael off with a glare. “We are not killing anyone.”

“He deserves it,” Michael countered with a shrug.

“He does,” Kyle agreed. “But we’re not going to do it.”

“Can you just keep him in a coma?” Rosa asked.

Kyle shook his head. “Not for much longer without causing permanent damage.” Everyone ignored Michael’s muttered “pity.”

“Besides,” Alex continued, “the second one of my brother’s finds out he’s here, they’re gonna want answers as to _why_ he’s in a coma and we don’t have any.”

“Isobel,” Liz piped up. “Is there any way to manipulate him? I know you can’t make him leave if he doesn’t want to but can you like, I don’t know, find something he wants more and make him do that instead?”

Isobel pursed her lips. “Hypothetically? It’s possible, I guess. I don’t really know. But that wouldn’t stop him from coming back or hunting us from afar.”

“We need some way to make him forget about you,” Maria waved a hand at Michael and Isobel. “Make him forget about aliens and make him want to be anywhere else in the world but Roswell.”

Someone replied to her but Alex didn’t hear it. There was a pounding in his ears as Maria’s words echoed in his head. _Make him forget. Make him want to be anywhere else in the world._ The answer was obvious, if you had all of the pieces as Alex did. Because there was a way. A way to change what it was that Jesse Manes wanted, what he knew. 

Unbidden to him, Alex’s eyes rose to meet Michael’s. The other man met his gaze evenly, the same thoughts clearly running through his head. They could do it. If they worked together, hell if Alex just gave Michael access to his father Michael could probably pull it off himself. But-

“No.” The room fell silent as Alex cut somebody off. He didn’t pay attention, his eyes never leaving Michael’s.

“Alex-” Michael took a half step forward. 

“ _No_.” A year ago, hell two months ago, Alex would’ve been on board. But that was then. That was before he knew- He shook his head. “No,” he said again. He turned sharply and fled the room before anyone could say anything. 

—

Sometimes, Alex thought, the military could be incredibly short sighted. They recruited him for their Special Ops program specifically because he thought for himself and didn’t just take orders so they really couldn’t object when Alex disobeyed direct orders. He’d been a good little soldier for two years before branching out and he thought he deserved some credit for that. The civilian work opportunities were far more lucrative and imaginative than the military’s and even if he hadn’t wanted the money he’d have done it just for the variety.

That didn’t mean he appreciated being blindsided with a job. If it hadn’t been Arthur himself who called him in, Alex would’ve told them all to fuck off. But as it was Arthur, and no one told Arthur no, Alex drove out to some podunk town in western Texas to step into the middle of a job. The former point man had been involved in some unfortunate accident and they needed someone in to fill the gaps right away. Alex didn’t know much more than that, further details promised upon arrival.

As soon as he stepped into the dingy warehouse, Alex knew he should’ve pushed Arthur for more information up front. Maybe then he wouldn’t have been so blindsided by the sight of Michael Guerin crouched over a table.

“Hey, you must be the new point,” a woman greeted. “Alex, right?”

Alex nodded but didn’t look at her. Michael had looked up at him when the woman started talking and now they were just staring at each other across the warehouse. After a moment, Alex tore his gaze away and introduced himself properly to the woman, Ariadne, their architect, and William, the chemist. “And this,” Ariadne waved a hand at Michael, “is Michael, our extractor.” Michael frowned and Ariadne rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t like the term extractor, says it doesn’t fit with inception because we’re not taking anything out but it’s as good a term as any.” She raised her voice towards the end as she blatantly called him out. Michael honest to god stuck his tongue out at her before dropping the pencil he’d been playing with.

“I need coffee.” He grabbed his jacket and rounded the table. “Come on new guy, you can buy.” His hand twitched like he was going to grab Alex’s arm but he curled it into a fist as he pushed past. Alex paused only a second before following.

“What are you doing here?” Michael whirled on him when they’d walked a block. He pulled Alex into a side street and stared at him, his eyes raking over Alex’s face and body as if trying to assure himself that it was really Alex. Alex would have made a comment about it if he wasn’t doing the exact same thing.

“I’m the new point man,” Alex reminded him. “What are _you_ doing here?”

“I’m the extractor.”

“How the hell do you know anything about dreamshare?”

“Met Eames in a bar,” Michael shrugged. “He introduced me. You?”

Alex stared at him dumbly. “You’ve met _Eames_? In a bar?”

“Yeah, that’s probably how most people meet Eames. How do you know about dreamshare?”

“The military,” Alex answered honestly. 

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Then what are you doing pulling a job like this? This isn’t military sanctioned.”

Alex shrugged one shoulder. “Military pay is crap. And the jobs get monotonous after a while. Always the same damn thing.” He paused. “Never get to do inception either.”

Michael smiled a wicked grin. “Pity. Inception’s where the fun’s at.”

All at once, Alex put together the pieces. He’d heard rumors of an extractor named Michael, an extractor who almost only performed inceptions. He’d only been in the game for a few years but he was so good at inception that he’d essentially cornered the market on it. Alex couldn’t remember the last time he heard of a team pulling off inception _without_ Michael. 

And to think it was Michael Guerin all along.

Alex kissed him without thought. Michael stilled under him for half a breath before kissing him back, his hands gripping the sides of Alex’s face and holding him close.

“I’ve missed you,” he exhaled when Alex pulled away.

“Me too,” Alex barely got the words out before they crashed together again.

Three weeks later, Alex knew two things to be true: one, Michael was under his skin in a way that Alex knew would never come out, and two, Michael was even better at inception than the rumors had promised. The second they entered a dream, Michael became almost like a god, able to twist the subject’s mind in new and inventive ways with the person never the wiser.

—

“Alex,” Michael grabbed his arm and pulled him into an empty room before Alex could pull away. “Hear me out.”

“We are not performing inception on my father,” Alex spat out.

Michael clenched his teeth. “Why not? It’s the best solution and you know it.”

“N-”

“I can make him forget all of this! Forget about Project Shepherd, about aliens, about wanting to hunt us down, about wanting to hunt you down! I can make him leave Roswell and never return, no matter what.” He paused. “You _know_ I can.”

Alex worked his jaw and stared at him, the last puzzle piece clicking into place. “You use your powers.” Michael blinked. “That’s how you’re so good. No one, not even Dom Cobb, could pull all of that off but I have no doubt you can. And it’s because you’re using Isobel’s powers,” Alex realized. “You said you didn’t have any other powers but your telekinesis,” he accused.

“I don’t,” Michael protested. 

“Bullsh-”

“Not in the real world,” Michael continued. “The rules are different in a dream. In a dream, I can do anything I want. Including, yes, using Isobel’s powers of influence.” He shrugged. “It works. Way better than when Izzy tries it in the waking world.”

Alex knew that to be true. How many times had Michael pulled off the impossible when it came to inception? How had Alex missed it all of those years? That Michael was something _other_ , that he was doing things in dreams no one else could because no one else literally could?

“We can do it, Alex,” Michael urged when Alex didn’t say anything. “I have a PASIV, I just need Somnacin.”

“I have some,” Alex replied absently, his mind still whirring. 

“Then let’s do this.” Michael stepped in close. “We can get rid of your father forever. He can never hurt either one of us again.”

Alex knew it was the smart thing to do, knew that Michael could do as he promised, and yet-

—

“Wanna go for a ride?” Michael nodded his head at his truck with a wry grin. Alex barely registered the invitation, his mind trying to argue against what he already knew.

“This isn’t going to work out, Guerin.”

Michael nodded slowly before taking a step towards him. “Why not?”

“I talked to my dad earlier.” Alex wasn’t sure why he started with that.

Michael scoffed. “Who cares what he thinks?”

“He mentioned how nice it was to see me acting myself again. Commended me even on working past my childish behavior after the accident.” Alex watched Michael closely as he spoke and so he didn’t miss it when Michael’s shoulders tensed imperceptibly and he leaned backwards like he wanted to put space between them but wouldn’t let himself be that obvious about it. “It got me to thinking.” He swallowed thickly. “After the accident, I was a wreck. I was depressed and so fucking angry. I couldn’t do my rehab, I wouldn’t even let them fit me for a prosthetic.” He chuckled humorlessly. “And then one day, the same day that I _swore_ I saw you in the hospital, everything changed. It was like someone flipped a switch. One day I couldn’t function and the next I was feeling hopeful and optimistic and I started working my ass off at PT.” 

Michael took a step back.

“Tell me you weren’t there,” Alex pleaded. “Tell me I _didn’t_ see you at the hospital. Tell me you didn’t incept me into being okay with losing my leg.”

Michael didn’t answer.

“Tell me!” He yelled. A few people nearby turned their heads but Alex ignored them.

“Alex-”

“Jesus Christ,” Alex took a step back and then another when Michael reached out towards him. “You played with my mind?”

“You weren’t getting any better!” Michael took a step and froze when Alex took a corresponding step backwards. “I just wanted to help you, Alex. You wouldn’t let me be there for the rehab or the PT and I just- I wanted to help you.”

Alex nodded slowly. “So you invaded my dreams and twisted my mind.” He laughed harshly. “What else have you helped me with? What else have you made me feel?”

Michael’s face twisted in hurt and outrage. “ _Nothing_. I swear to you, Alex, that was a one time only thing.”

“Yeah,” Alex scoffed. “And you expect me to believe that, don’t you?” He shook his head. “How am I supposed to trust you, trust myself even, ever again?” 

Michael didn’t reply and Alex walked away.

—

Alex held out for a day before Kyle urged him to decide. He didn’t know what Alex and Michael had planned but he insisted that he couldn’t keep his father under any longer. If they had a plan, they needed to do it now. And as much as Alex had trust issues with Michael and inception, he knew it was their best bet. 

They met at the hospital, Michael with the PASIV and Alex with the Somnacin. “Do you even have a plan?” Alex asked. “Or are you just going to use your powers on him?”

Michael shrugged without looking at him as he got the device in order. “Little bit of both. I’ve been working on a plan to get him out of Roswell and out of your life for about five years so I’ll just tweak it a bit and leave the rest to my alien powers of persuasion.”

Alex paused in place as he prepared to insert the needle into his dad’s arm. “You’ve been planning this for five years?”

Michael still didn’t look at him. “Ever since I learned what inception was. Figured if there was ever a way to get him gone without raising any red flags, this would be it.”

“I-” Alex closed his mouth and got back to work. He didn’t even know what he could say to that. They finished their prep and entered the dream without another word.

“Alright,” Michael greeted when they opened their eyes to see Alex’s old house around them. “Shouldn’t take more than half an hour, keep an eye out for projections.” He disappeared down the hall to his dad’s office without waiting for Alex’s reply.

Alex waited a beat before fleeing out the back door. This was Michael’s dream and the details weren’t perfect but it was close enough to get Alex’s heart racing. Out on the back deck, Alex took a few deep breaths, his falling closed as he listened for anyone approaching. The world was silent.

He opened his eyes to find the shed right in front of him. He hadn’t moved but there it was. Alex glanced over his shoulder at the house and paused only a second before taking the obvious invitation and pushing the door open.

He stepped into a frustratingly familiar hospital room. 

“Just do it, Michael,” he heard his own voice ask. Alex looked over at the bed to see Michael sitting next to him. “I need to be okay with all of this and I’m _not_ so I need you to do it.”

“Alex, I’m not going to incept you! You’ve heard the stories, you know what happened to Mallorie Cobb. I won’t do that.”

“It’s not the same thing. I’m not asking you to give me a reason to live or anything like that, I just need to be ok with losing my damn leg.” Alex watched as Michael shook his head and stood up. He watched as he grabbed Michael’s arm and pulled him back down. “I need this Michael. I need you.”

“Is this why you called me here? Not because you wanted me to be here for you but to fuck with your mind?”

Alex watched the cold mask fall over his own face. “I do need you to be here for me. And this is how.”

“Alex, I _can’t_. Please don’t ask me to do this.”

The door behind him burst open just as the him on the bed replied. “I don’t remember this,” Alex told Michael, his eyes never leaving the memory versions of them.

Michael sighed heavily. “You didn’t want to. You figured it would be easier to buy the inception if you didn’t remember asking for it.”

Alex turned to face him slowly. Part of him argued that he had no reason to believe Michael, that this could all be a false memory but Alex knew it wasn’t. He didn’t remember it but he knew himself, he knew this is exactly something he would’ve done. “Michael, I-”

He opened his eyes to a different hospital room.

“It’s done,” Michael told him as he pulled the needle out of his own arm and leaned over Jesse to remove his. “You can tell Kyle to remove the sedation or whatever. He should be leaving Roswell as soon as he wakes up.”

“Michael,” Alex tried again as he stood up. “I’m sorry.”

Michael paused. “It’s fine.”

“No it’s not. I blamed you for doing something I asked of you.”

“It’s not like you remembered it.”

“Doesn’t matter. I still owe you an apology.”

“Fine. Apology accepted or whatever.” He finished putting away the PASIV. 

Michael tried to brush past him to the door but Alex stepped neatly into his path. “Thank you. For helping me.” Alex paused. “And for today.”

Michael nodded. “You really don’t have to thank me for today, it was purely selfish I assure you.” It wasn’t and they both knew it but Alex let it go. “And as for- I just wish you’d let me actually help you.”

“All clear in here?” Kyle opened the door behind them just as Alex opened his mouth to reply. He paused and took in the mood, his eyes flitting between the two of them where they stood awfully close to one another. “Everything okay?”

“All good,” Michael promised with a fake smile. “Go ahead and wake the bastard up, he won’t be a problem anymore.” He put his hand on Alex’s hip to squeeze past him without touching Kyle and was out the door before either of them could say anything. He didn’t turn around when Alex called his name.


	32. Malex (ft every other major character)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the lovely isakvaltersnake's birthday

Isobel

“Here you go,” Isobel slid a peanut butter milkshake across the table as she sat down.

Michael stared at it suspiciously. “What do you want?” Isobel hated peanut butter ice cream to the point where she’d usually complain if she even had to see it. For her to order it and hand it over meant bad things were coming.

“Why do you assume-” Michael glared at her. Isobel shrugged. “I just want to talk.”

“Uhuh,” Michael nodded as he unwrapped a straw and dropped it into the shake. “About what?”

Isobel waited until he took a sip. “Alex.” 

If she was hoping for a reaction, she was sorely disappointed. Michael just looked at her. “What about Alex?” They’d been back together, or maybe finally together depending on how you looked at their relationship history, for just under a month.

Isobel wavered, her face contorting into a weird expression. “Do you-” she stopped and squared her shoulders. “Are you sure this thing with him is a good idea?”

Michael straightened. “What?”

“When you told me about him you said that loving him was like a crash landing, that you loved him but that loving him _hurt you_. I just- you and Maria were so good together!” She reached across the table but Michael pulled out of her reach. “And if Maria’s not the one I’m sure there’s someone else. Someone who doesn’t hurt you.”

“Alex is it.” Michael stared at her in shock, hurt radiating through him. “There’s no one else.”

“Alex is going to hurt you,” Isobel urged quietly. “You said it yourself, that’s what he does.”

“What exactly is your problem with Alex?” Michael huffed. “I thought you two were friends?”

“We are! I like Alex. I just don’t like Alex for you.” Isobel sighed and leaned back. “Michael, I know you think you hid your relationship with him well or whatever, but it was really obvious whenever you would speak to him or see him. For ten years I watched you get really happy for a day or a week and then you’d spend weeks or months depressed because he left you. Again.” Michael turned away from her, unable to take her earnest expression. “Right now you’re in the really happy phase and I’m happy for you but I know what comes after and I just- maybe if you get out now, you’ll be okay.”

“So you want me to leave him before he can leave me?”

“Yeah. It’s harsh, I know. I’m not trying to be mean or whatever, I just want you to be happy.”

Michael glared at her. “I _am_ happy, Isobel. Right now. With Alex.”

Isobel paused. “And what about next week? Next month? He’s going to leave again, you said it yourself he always does. What happens then?” She grabbed Michael’s hand and squeezed tightly. “I want you to be happy always, Michael. Not just right now.”

Michael yanked his hand away. “Thanks for the milkshake.” He stood up and walked out. 

Kyle

“I brought tamales!” Kyle kicked the door shut behind him. There was no answer. “Alex?” Still nothing. The cabin was silent except for a distant, rhythmic thwacking. Kyle followed the sound out to the back deck where he found Alex leaning over the back railing, coffee forgotten in his hands as he stared out into the distance. The sound was louder out here. 

“Hey,” he greeted. Alex’s shoulders had stiffened when the door opened but now they relaxed. “I brought tamales.” He joined Alex at the railing and frowned at what had Alex so captivated. A few feet away Michael was shirtless and surrounded by a pile of wood, chopped and unchopped. The thwacking was the sound of his axe splitting logs cleanly in half, again and again. “Alex?”

“Hmm?” Alex blinked and finally looked over. “Hey. Tamales?” He grinned as he reached for the platter in Kyle’s hands. “What’s the occasion?” He wandered over to the little table set up on the side of the deck and put the platter down. Kyle shrugged as he joined him.

“Mom made way more than we could eat.” More like he’d begged his mom to make more than they could eat so he could use the leftovers. “Thought I’d spread the wealth.” He left Alex to unwrap them while he went inside for plates and napkins and forks. “Here,” he handed them over as he sat down.

“So,” Alex asked as they dug in. “What’s the occasion?” He asked again, a keen look in his eyes as he stared at Kyle across the table. 

Kyle listened to the continued thwack of Michael’s axe and shrugged. “Just wanted to share the food.”

“Uhuh,” Alex stuffed his face. “You know, when we were 12 and we broke your dad’s memorabilia case, you begged your mom for tamales so you could break the news over dinner.” Kyle cringed. “And last year, when they told Maria the truth about aliens? Tamales.” He pointed his fork at Kyle. “So. What’s the occasion?”

Kyle looked over his shoulder at where Michael stood in the yard. He couldn’t see him, but the message was clear.

“What about Michael?” Alex’s voice was a distinct tone tenser than it had been before.

“I’m just- I’m worried.”

Alex blinked. “About what?”

“About you. About, well, him,” Kyle jerked his head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re happy. It’s just- he chose someone else before and I remember what you were like then and I just-”

“Kyle,” Alex’s voice was hard. “I appreciate your concern but butt out.”

Kyle nodded as he took a bite, thinking as he chewed slowly. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Alex. And Michael, he- he can hurt you like no one else can. And he has, in the past.”

“Just because he has, doesn’t mean he will. And if he does, that’s none of your business.”

“You’re my friend, Alex. If he hurts you, then yeah, that is my business.”

Alex opened his mouth to reply, the food forgotten in front of him when footsteps on the stairs cut him off. Kyle hadn’t even noticed the sound of the axe going quiet. 

“Valenti,” Michael greeted. “Are those tamales?” Kyle nudged the platter towards him without a word, Alex glaring at him from across the table.

“Help yourself.”

“Thanks. I’m just gonna grab some water first.” Michael pressed a quick kiss on Alex’s upturned lips and disappeared into the house. 

As soon as the door closed, Alex started speaking. “My relationship is my business, Kyle, not yours. You don’t get a say in it, at all. I appreciate the concern but it’s not needed and it’s not wanted. Michael’s not going to hurt me.” The words were all the right ones and Alex’s voice was strong and stern but there was something in his eyes that belied them. A kind of vulnerability, Kyle might even call it doubt. 

“Okay,” Kyle agreed and left it at that.

Max

“So.”

Michael groaned. No conversation with Max that started with ‘so’ ever ended well. “No,” he tried to cut him off at the pass.

“You’re dating Alex,” Max bulldozed on.

“No,” Michael tried again.

Max furrowed his brow in confusion. “You’re _not_ dating Alex?”

“No, I am. I just meant no, I’m not talking about this with you.”

“But I don’t understand.” He turned on Michael with the godforsaken earnest expression that Michael fell for every time. “You told me he reminds you of how much humans suck, about how love is pain. And Isobel said you were with Maria for over a year while I was…gone.”

“Yeah,” Michael agreed slowly. “And now I’m with Alex.”

“But why?”

Michael stared at him. “Because I love him.”

“But he hurts you.”

Michael blinked. “If Liz broke your heart would you still love her?”

“Of course,” Max replied easily.

“And if she wanted to try again, would you?”

“Yes,” Max agreed again. “But I’m not sure I’d keep going back for thirds or fourths or fifths or whatever number you two are on. I mean, this is attempt number…ten?” Max shook his head. “I feel like I watched the Alex Manes roller coaster about once a year so after almost 12 years, excepting the year you dated Maria, this has gotta be into double digits now and I just- I don’t understand why you keep doing this to yourself.”

Michael took a large swig of his beer and looked out at the fire. “Because I love him.” Like that was enough. In Michael’s mind it was. It should be all that’s needed.

“Just because you love him doesn’t mean he can’t destroy you,” Max warned, unknowingly echoing Michael. “I don’t want to see that happen again. I don’t want to see you hurt like that again.”

“You know, Isobel gave me this same speech a month ago. Why the hell are you two suddenly so gungho about protecting me from Alex?”

“Because for ten years we didn’t,” Max answered immediately. “And we’re trying to do better now. We stood there and watched as he hurt you, as he broke you, again and again and we can’t do it anymore.” He reached out and clasped Michael on the shoulder. “Is it really worth it to be happy now for a little while even though you know it’s going to hurt like hell later?”

“Yes,” Michael replied instantly. Max just smiled sadly, like he didn’t believe him and honestly, Michael wasn’t quite sure he believed himself.

Jenna

“I leave for two years and the town goes to shit,” Jenna dropped into the chair opposite him.

Alex raised an eyebrow, french fry poised above his milkshake. “Jenna,” he greeted. She’d been in town for a little over two weeks but this was the first conversation they’d had. “Roswell isn’t that bad.”

Jenna scoffed as she reached over and stole one of his fries. “There is exactly one, count them _one_ , deputy in the Sheriff’s department. Gun violence is up 12%. The Air Force is literally in your backyard and there is an internal investigation into your whole family as well as the continued existence of Project Shepherd. And you’re dating Michael Guerin.”

“One of those things is not like the others,” Alex pointed out as he popped a fry into his mouth, ignoring the other points she’d raised. She wasn’t wrong.

“Heard he dated DeLuca,” she pointed out.

“He did. Your point?”

Jenna shrugged and stole another fry. “No point. Just surprised. He seems like a really bad idea. Especially for a soldier.”

Alex clenched his jaw. “He’s not.”

“If you say so,” she shrugged again before seamlessly transitioning into a status update on all things Roswell. She may have been gone for a while but she was ready to jump back into the thick of things now that she was back.

Alex obliged her, filling her in on what she’d missed, but he’d be lying if he said her comment didn’t stick with him.

Liz

Liz hung back as Michael and Alex said goodbye, her eyes averted as their goodbye kiss stretched on and on. 

“Bye Liz,” Alex finally said and she waved as he escaped Michael’s wandering hands and managed to get into his car and drive away. Michael pouted after him.

“He’ll be back _tomorrow_ ,” Liz pointed out with a short laugh.

Michael shrugged, unapologetic. “Yeah, a whole 36 hours with no Alex. I don’t know how I’ll survive,” he whined dramatically as he fell back into his chair next to her. Liz winced in sympathy as the old metal thing clanged. She didn’t spend much time out here at Michael’s fire pit and these chairs were a large part of why. 

Liz stared after Alex for a long while, worrying her lips as she thought about what she wanted to say. “You really hurt him,” she accused softly.

Michael stilled next to her, his phone falling to his lap as he turned to face her. “What?”

“Alex,” she clarified needlessly. “When you cho- when you dated Maria. You really hurt him.”

“I know that,” he admitted. “Why are you bringing this up?”

“Because I don’t want to see him hurt like that again.” Liz turned to Michael. “I’ve been a crappy friend to him in the past but I’m trying to do better and I don’t want to see him like that ever again. He was a mess. He hid it whenever you or Maria were around but he was not okay.”

“Liz-”

“You have this power to hurt him like I’ve never seen before. His dad- his family messed him up pretty good emotionally and Alex doesn’t let people in far enough to really be able to hurt him. Except for you. He let you in and you repaid that by breaking his heart. And I know that you’re doing better, the two of are together and it’s _good_. Alex is happy. I just- I have to wonder how long it’ll be before you break his heart again.” Liz kept her voice soft, not wanting to hurt Michael with her words.

Michael didn’t say anything for a long while. He sat quietly and finished his beer, getting up to throw it away without a word. When he came back, he bypassed his chair and went straight to the door of his trailer and yanked it open. With a foot on the bottom rung he paused and turned to her. “With all due respect, Liz? Fuck off.” He vanished inside, the door slamming loudly behind him.

Maria

Alex smiled around his bottle as he caught sight of Michael over by the pool table talking to a younger guy. He knew the quirk of Michael’s lips, knew the gently teasing tone of his voice right now even if he couldn’t hear it, he even knew the light blush on the other’s guys cheeks. Michael was a friendly guy, he flirted as a way of communicating, and Alex enjoyed watching him make other people squirm just a little.

“Here,” Maria dropped a fresh bottle at his elbow. 

Alex looked at it then at her. “I didn’t order it.” They were getting better these days but their friendship hadn’t fully recovered just yet.

Maria wiped her hands on a towel and cut a glance across the room at Michael. “Thought you might need it. Three months, right?” She didn’t wait for Alex to reply. “That’s about when he started last time, too.” She nodded at where Michael was now leaning over the other guy, his head bent low as he whispered into his ear. The poor guy’s face, neck, and ears were flaming red. “He’s cute.” She smiled sadly at Alex and left to help someone else.

Alex looked back over at Michael. He knew, he _knew_ , that Michael would never do anything with someone else. It wasn’t even a concern to him. But the smile on Michael’s face as the guy started to flirt back gave him pause. That wasn’t a smile Michael wore often. It was nice to see, less nice to see someone else putting it on his face. Kyle’s words from a few weeks before rang loudly in his head. Alex shook them away. Michael wasn’t going to leave him and he wasn’t going to choose someone else.

Not again.

“Hey,” Maria was back. “If you want to talk…”

Alex glanced at her and shook his head sharply. Even if he did want to talk about his relationship, he couldn’t do it with Maria. But he appreciated that she’d offered. “Nothing to talk about,” he forced a smile.

Maria looked from him to Michael and back again. “Alex…” she stopped and nodded. “Okay. But if you change your mind, offer’s always open.” They both knew he wouldn’t, that it would hurt both of them too much for Alex to even really consider it, but the offer was there.

Michael and Alex

“Talk to me,” Michael urged as soon as the door closed behind them. Alex walked into the bedroom, shedding his jacket along the way. 

“About what?” He played dumb.

“About why you’ve been so quiet,” Michael followed him. “You didn’t say a word the whole drive back.”

“It’s nothing.” 

“Alex.” Michael sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. “We said no more secrets.”

Alex paused, his shirt falling to the floor. “It’s nothing, really.” Michael scoffed and Alex sighed. “Just-” He stopped and shook his head before joining Michael on the bed. “Are we making a mistake?”

“A mistake? About what?”

“This,” Alex gestured between them. “Us.”

Michael froze even as he leaned away from him. “Do you think we’re a mistake?”

“No!” Alex hurried to say. “But everyone else seems to and I don’t know. Maybe they’re all seeing something we’re not.”

“Who?” Michael shifted to sit sideways, one knee coming up onto the bed. “Who said we’re a mistake.”

Alex sighed and mirrored his position. “No one said we’re a mistake. Just- Kyle’s worried I’m going to get hurt again, Jenna thinks you’re a bad idea, and Maria warned me that you like to flirt.”

“Do _you_ think I like to flirt?”

“Yeah, of course,” Alex answered easily and Michael leaned away again. “But that’s not a bad thing. I don’t think you mean anything by it and I don’t think you’ll ever do anything with someone else.”

“So why does it matter what Maria said?”

Alex paused. “Because I saw the way you were smiling with that guy tonight. You looked happy, like you were enjoying yourself.”

“I was,” Michael admitted. “He was a nice guy and he knew how to play pool better than most people here. But that doesn’t mean we’re a mistake, Alex. Flirting with a guy at the Wild Pony does not mean anything for us.”

“Maybe it means there could be something better for you out there than me. Kyle’s not wrong, you know, we’ve hurt each other, a lot, and we’re trying to make this work because we think we’re meant to be but-”

“We are,” Michael argued. “And I don’t care what Valenti, or Isobel, or Max, or Liz, have to say. Just because we’ve hurt each other before doesn’t mean we will in the future. We’re better now.”

“We are,” Alex agreed. “But what if we could be even better with other people and we’re forcing this just because we think we have to?”

Michael stood up and paced a bit before stopping. It didn’t escape Alex’s notice that he stopped on the other side of the room. “So what?” He shrugged. “I love you and you love me, why isn’t that enough? Why does everyone keep focusing on the past?”

“Liz and Isobel and Max talked to you?” Alex asked quietly.

“Yeah? So what? They think we’ll hurt each other again. They’re wrong. I’ve been ignoring them for months, why can’t you?! ”

“Are they? Maybe we’re too close to this to think rationally,” Alex suggested sadly. “Maybe they’re right. Maybe we’re just meant to hurt each other.”

“Alex-”

“I don’t want to hurt you anymore, Michael.”

“Then shut up!” Michael yelled. “This,” he waved between them, “this is hurting me right now. You thinking we can’t make it is hurting me.”

“Michael-”

“I need a shower,” Michael turned and fled. The shower kicked on a minute later. Alex sat on the bed and listened to it run, his mind whirring. 

There was a picture on top of the dresser opposite the bed and Alex couldn’t help but stare at it. It was a selfie, taken one night about a month prior. Michael had had it printed and stuck it in a frame and Alex honestly wasn’t sure why. It was a good photo of them but they had a dozen like it on each of their phones. Alex had taken it on Michael’s phone one night while they watched a movie. They had considered going out to the drive in before ultimately deciding they didn’t want to waste their night around other people. Alex had picked a random movie off of Netflix that he honestly couldn’t remember because he’d been so focused on Michael’s thumb rubbing circles into his hip. At one point, Alex had sank so deeply into Michael’s embrace that they were almost horizontal and he’d grabbed Michael’s phone on a whim and snapped a picture of them. It was just a standard Friday night for them. 

He stopped and thought about that. A night spent watching a movie, wrapped in each other’s arms after having dinner and talking about their day. That was standard for them now. And that picture wasn’t special for any reason other than the fact that they had a dozen more like it. 

His mind replayed all of the time they’d spent together over the last three months and he realized it was good. It was better than good, really. They hadn’t jumped into anything, they’d taken it slow and built it from the ground up. They were solid. And fuck their friends for doubting them.

Alex grabbed his phone and pulled open the group chat.

> _[From: Alex]_
> 
> _We appreciate the concern but stay out of our relationship. The next person who suggests that it would be better if we broke up is getting punched in the face. Consider this your friendly warning._

The shower cut off just as he hit send so Alex quickly dropped the phone onto the nightstand and joined Michael in the bathroom. He was just stepping out of the shower, his skin still wet as he reached for a towel. Michael glanced at Alex but didn’t pause as he started drying off.

“I’m sorry,” Alex started and that caused Michael’s head to snap up. “I shouldn’t have listened to any of them. I shouldn’t have doubted us.”

Michael sighed. “Then why did you?”

“It’s hard to hear someone else say your insecurities. I have bad thoughts sometimes, I get a little afraid that maybe we’re making a mistake, but I usually ignore them or find a way to shut them up. When it’s someone else saying it, it made me think maybe I shouldn’t be ignoring them.”

Michael straightened up, the towel hanging loosely in his hand. “So what exactly changed while I was taking a shower?”

Alex shrugged, really wishing Michael wasn’t naked for this conversation. “I did? Or I guess my mindset did?” He took a step closer to Michael. “We’ve built a relationship. We’ve had countless conversations talking about literally everything and I know we’re solid. I forgot that our friends, as much as they love us and want the best for us, haven’t seen any of that. They think we’re the same people we were in the past and we’re not. And this relationship isn’t the same. It’s so much better.”

“Yeah?” Michael asked, surprisingly shy.

“Yeah.” Alex nodded firmly. “ _We_ are great.”

“Hell yeah we are,” Michael agreed. He reached for Alex at the same time that Alex reached for him. They met in the middle, Michael’s hands finding their usual place on the sides of Alex’s face while Alex’s hands slipped on Michael’s wet skin. “Was that a fight?” He asked between kisses.

“Yes?” Alex replied.

“So we just made up?” Michael grinned, causing Alex to laugh and nod. “Awesome,” he breathed into their next kiss as he gently guided Alex back to the bedroom. 


	33. Malex (Liz POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. “We’re not just friends and you fucking know it.” - Malex!!!

Liz knew she should try and give them some semblance of privacy but well, they were having it out in the middle of the Pony on a Friday night. There was only so much privacy to go around and they’d used all of it up before-

“We’re not just friends and you fucking know it!” Michael yelled. The din in the bar lowered. The couple at the center of it didn’t seem to notice.

“You said friends!” Alex yelled back at a slightly lower volume. His date sat at the table next to them looking between the two like he was starting to figure something out. “You said all we could ever be was friends!”

“Yeah and you said I was a terrible liar!” Michael huffed. He’d quieted down but so had the crowd so Liz could still hear him loud and clear across the room.

Alex looked like Michael had slapped him. His date stood up then and grabbed his jacket. He hesitated for a moment like he was going to say something before he just walked out. Alex didn’t even blink. His eyes never left Michael.

The room seemed to hold its breath while they stared at each other. Michael looked a little scared while Alex just looked confused. 

“You are the biggest pain in my-” Alex shook his head and closed the distance, Michael meeting him halfway and cutting him off with a fiery kiss. Liz saw tongue. Ew.

“About time,” Isobel huffed next to her before tossing back a shot. The bar grew louder again as the crowd realized the show was over.

Well, mostly.

“Get a room!” Maria yelled at them with a laugh.


	34. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 34\. “You come to my room and wake me up at 4am, to cuddle?”

Alex heard the knock on the door and promptly ignored it. It was too early, or late, to let people annoy him. It didn’t matter, though, as he heard the latch click open a moment later.

“Alex?” Michael whispered loudly, his voice a harsh thing in the still night.

Alex turned over and put his back to Michael before shoving his head under the pillow. Whatever new emergency there was could wait until the sun came up. Or even later as far as he was concerned.

The door clicked shut softly and the deadbolt engaged. Next thing he knew there was a thump as two shoes were kicked off into the wall followed immediately by the familiar sounds of jeans being dragged down to the floor. In spite of himself, Alex opened his eyes and pulled the pillow off to look at Michael.

The man was half naked already and tugging his shirt off over his head.

“What?” Alex rasped, his voice rough with sleep. Michael just grinned and lifted the edge of the blanket. Well, he tried to at least. Alex slapped a hand down on the bed and pinned the comforter so he couldn’t pull it back. “ _What_?”

Michael’s grin faltered. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Alex glanced at the alarm clock, the large 4:02 blinking at him in bright red. “You come to my room and wake me up at 4am, to cuddle?”

Michael blinked. “Yeah,” he answered easily.

Alex stared at him before relenting. Immediately the grin was back as Michael slid beneath the sheets and crowded up next to Alex. Wordlessly, Alex let Michael arrange them to his liking. 

When Alex was flat on his back with a literal space heater curled up on his chest and warm thigh pressed between his own, he asked, “are you good?” Michael nodded into his chest and placed a small kiss on his sternum. “Can I go back to sleep now?”

He felt Michael’s smile on his skin. “If you insist.”


	35. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did!”

“Guerin.” Nothing.

“ _Guerin_.” Still nothing.

“ _Michael_ ,” he sighed. This got a reaction. It was a quick glare out of the corner of his eye but it was something. “How long are you going to ignore me?” Michael started to shrug before freezing halfway, like he remembered he wasn’t supposed to be acknowledging Alex.

Alex pushed out of his chair with a heavy sigh and started packing. Michael sat on the bed in a huff the whole time. When almost everything was packed up and ready to go, Alex went searching for their stuff from the night before. He turned the room upside down but didn’t find any trace of it. 

“Guerin, where’d the-” he stopped when Michael looked away from him, a slight flush creeping up his neck. 

“Michael,” Alex sat heavily on the edge of the bed. “You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, because guess what? It did! And hiding the evidence isn’t going to change that.”

Michael glared at him but Alex just met his gaze evenly. Eventually, Michael relented and sat up enough to pull the folder out from under his butt. Alex raised a brow at his hiding location but Michael didn’t meet his eyes.

Alex flipped open the folder to make sure everything was there before packing it away in his computer bag. “Are you ready to go?”

“We can change it, right? Stop it or whatever?” It was the first thing Michael had said in hours and it froze Alex to his core.

“You want to-”

Michael stood up with a huff. “You don’t?! How are you just okay with this?”

“Well, I-” Alex stuttered, blindsided by the sudden change in conversation. “I didn’t think-”

“Isobel and Liz will never let us live this down!” Michael cut him off. “We were supposed to do it right! And now we’re just gonna be _those people_ who woke up married in Vegas.” Michael definitely did not whine.

Alex blinked. “What?”

“I had the whole thing planned out already! I was gonna put the ring on Buffy’s collar and send her over to you and then-” Alex cut him off with a kiss.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he ordered.

“What?” Michael blinked.

“I thought you regretted marrying me.”

“What? No! But we’re supposed to do it right! Not a quickie in Vegas we only half remember!” 

Alex laughed and kissed him again. “We’ll do it right when we get home,” he promised.


	36. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 47\. “You’re seriously like a man-child.”

Michael chuckled as soon as he stepped through the door. “You’re seriously like a man-child,” he teased lightly.

From his spot on the couch in Star Wars pajamas and surrounded by the worst kinds of junk food, Alex just shrugged. He lifted up his Captain America blanket and patted the seat next to him. Michael took the hint.

He spare a few seconds to kick off his boots and drop his hat on the new hook by the door before he sidled up next to Alex and pressed a kiss at the corner of his jaw. “You look really comfy,” he remarked idly.

“I am,” Alex asserted as he snuggled into Michael’s arms. He lifted the remote and pressed play. PICARD flashed on the screen and Michael groaned. 

“I thought we were watching the latest Star Wars,” he asked.

“We were,” Alex replied vaguely. “But it sucked and this is Picard so…”

Michael hadn’t seen any Star Trek before (not that he’d told Alex this yet) so he just shrugged and settled in for the show. “Aren’t you mixing your movies here?” He waved at Alex’s everything.

Alex shrugged without looking away from the screen. “I don’t have any Star Trek stuff and all of this is comfortable.” Michael hummed and made a mental note for Alex’s birthday next month.


	37. Malex (Isobel POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5\. “Well. Yell, scream, say something. Anything.”

Four days. It felt like four months but it was only four days. Alex was gone, had been _taken_ , and it took them four days to get him back.

If Isobel had had any reservations about Michael’s feelings for the other man (which she didn’t because let’s be honest they were obvious as fuck) they were all gone now. The second they knew Alex was gone Michael full on lost his shit. Nothing and no one could calm him down or contain him. He tore out of the Crashdown where they’d been having lunch and sped off towards the Project Shepherd bunked Alex had practically moved into. It only took him about two hours to figure out where they would have taken Alex and then it took Isobel, Liz, _and_ Kyle to stop him from storming a military base, even if it was defunct, all by himself. 

They spent three days planning their attack. Isobel would have preferred more but Michael had deemed it enough and left before anyone could stop him. They all followed with their half-assed plan and they managed to get to Alex while Michael distracted quite literally everyone else in the building. (Isobel had never experienced an earthquake but she was fairly confident Michael had just caused one somehow if the cracks in the foundation and aftershocks were any indication) He was bruised and bloody and missing his prosthetic but he was _alive_. Of course, he then refused to leave the facility without Michael (because he was truly as gone for her brother as Michael was for him).

Their search for Michael was slower going than their search for Alex because Isobel and Kyle had to serve as crutches but they sent Liz and Maria off separately only for them to come back with nothing. Alex carefully guided them through the maze of hallways, the group pausing whenever a soldier appeared so Isobel could mind-whammy them, until they reached a set of steel reinforced doors with a sophisticated entry lock. They couldn’t hear anything from the other side and Isobel took that as a good sign. If Michael was behind them, there was no way he was quiet. Michael didn’t do quiet.

Alex had the door open in less than a minute. The second the lock clicked open, Isobel realized she was wrong. It wasn’t quiet, the doors just muffled all sound.

There was a scream, a terrible pain filled scream in Michael’s voice, before Alex raised the gun he’d stolen from one of the soldiers and fired four quick shots in rapid succession. Michael let out a pained whimper and Isobel slipped through the doors behind Alex and Kyle. 

Michael was laid out on a metal table, his shirt missing and two bright lines of red ( _blood,_ her mind supplied). One on his abdomen and another on his forehead, just under his hairline. Isobel had no idea what the dead men on the floor could possibly have been trying to do but she didn’t waste any time trying to figure it out. She stepped over one body and helped Michael off of the table, Maria coming up on Michael’s other side as Liz stepped into the place Isobel had vacated under Alex’s other arm. Together, the six of them fled the facility as fast as they could. 

None of them said a word until they were outside and Rosa’s van was in sight. “Michael?” Isobel asked gently.

“I’m okay,” he panted, his stomach clenching in pain as every step pulled at his wound.

“Liar,” Maria remarked softly. She got a smile in return. 

“Alex?” Michael asked. Alex grunted in response but didn’t say anything. “Alex?” Michael tried again, craning his neck to try and see where the other group was. “ “Well. Yell, scream, say something. Anything.” He sounded desperate to hear Alex’s voice.

“You stupid fucking moron,” Alex spit out. Everyone stuttered to a halt. Michael’s face shuttered even as he turned around and slipped out of Isobel and Maria’s holds. “Do you know how hard I’ve been working to keep you _out_ of places like that?” Alex jerked his head behind him. “And you just waltz right in? Hell you fucking announced yourself with that little earthquake.” He was mad, that was easy to see, but there was a look in his eyes that Isobel might almost call fear if she had ever seen it on Alex before. 

“Uh, guys? We should really keep moving,” Liz urged. She and Kyle were still holding Alex upright even as Michael moved closer under his own power. 

Michael and Alex both ignored her. 

“You got yourself kidnapped,” Michael snapped. “Did you expect us to leave you there? For you _father_?” Michael spit out that last word.

Alex glared. “I expected you to use your goddamn brain for once in your life and not get yourself killed trying to save me!” 

“Well I’m sorry,” Michael was barely an inch away from Alex at this point, “but I wasn’t going to let you die if I could stop it.”

“You call this stopping it?” Alex raised an eyebrow. The sass was strong in that eyebrow in spite of all of the blood caked on his face. “We had to rescue _you_.”

Isobel was fully expecting another response from Michael. She was not expecting Michael to grab Alex’s face with both hands and crush their lips together in what, quite frankly, looked like a painful kiss. Alex didn’t seem to mind, though, if the little moan he let out was any indication. Kyle rolled his eyes but turned his head away. Liz let it go for a second before she starting coughing delicately to interrupt them. They ignored her. 

“My hero,” she heard Michael murmur when they finally separated. Behind them, she caught sight of movement at the entrance they’d just fled.

“Yeah, yeah, he’s a big damn hero.” She cut Alex off before he could say anything. “Now let’s _go_.” She and Maria grabbed Michael and together they hurried the last few yards to the van. 

“I thought you two were just friends?” Rosa asked as they piled in.

“We are,” Michael and Alex replied in unison.

Rosa looked to Isobel in question. Isobel could only shrug. 

“Drive!” Liz ordered and they table the discussion in favor of getting away from the men with guns who wanted to kill them.

The ongoing matter of ‘what the fuck are Michael and Alex’ could wait until later. It would still be there. It always was. 


	38. Maribel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 13\. “You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did!”

Isobel stomped into the bar as delicately as her boots allowed, the back door clanging shut behind her. “DeLuca!” She yelled at Maria’s back. Maria froze as the bar fell silent. Slowly, Maria turned around, her face set in stone as she glared at Isobel.

“Not. Now. Evans,” she ground out. Behind her Isobel could see Michael, Alex, and Liz tensing up as if preparing to jump between them.

Isobel ignored them. “I wanted to talk outside,” she reminded Maria.

Maria dropped the towel she had just picked up and closed the gap between them in two long strides, her hand tight on Isobel’s arm before half dragging her back out into the alley. The door bounced against the frame when they shoved their way out. “Fine. You want to talk? Talk!” Maria yelled. 

Isobel huffed. “What is wrong with you?”

“With _me_?” Maria asked, incredulous. “Where do you get off barging into my bar and _yelling_ at me?”

“I tried to talk to you-”

“Yeah and now we’re talking,” Maria cut her off. She glared at Isobel before glancing away. Her shoulders sagged. “What?”

“You really have to ask?” Isobel scoffed.

The door creaked open and Michael’s head popped out. “Alex sent me to make sure you two aren’t going to kill each other.”

“Go away Michael.”

“We’re fine Guerin.” 

They answered at the same time. Michael looked between them and nodded. “Right. Yeah. None of my business. Carry on.” And disappeared back inside.

“Look, you can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did!” Isobel half yelled. 

“I’m not-” Maria grabbed at her hair with a strangled huff. “I’m not pretending it didn’t happen! I just don’t feel the need to talk about it.”

Isobel arched an eyebrow. “No? We spent four days in an alcohol and drug induced haze filled with the best sex of my life but yeah, we have nothing to talk about.”

Maria paused and looked at her. “…best sex of your life?”

“I believe I told you that. Repeatedly,” Isobel rolled her eyes, unashamed. 

“I don’t usually take someone at their word when they’re in the middle of an orgasm.”

Isobel shrugged. “Well I wasn’t lying. And I want to do it again. If you’re up for it, I mean.”

Maria stared at her in surprise before her stance softened. “Like what, friends with benefits?”

“Since when are we friends?” Isobel raised a brow. Her arms unfolded from across her chest, her feet already closing the distance.

Maria took a step towards her. “Minimal friendship, lots of benefits?” 

Isobel’s fingers itched to touch Maria’s skin. She nodded. “Works for me. How about you?”

Maria hesitated, her eyes flitting between Isobel’s as she searched for something. Isobel wasn’t sure what she was looking for but she seemed to find it. Maria finally reached out for Isobel and Isobel came easily, Maria’s hips fitting neatly beneath her hands as Maria fisted her ponytail and dragged her in for a kiss.


	39. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> speculation based on s2e1 promo photos
> 
> option #1: divorce papers

Alex let out a heavy sigh when Michael stomped down his front steps. He honestly hadn’t even be sure if Michael knew where he was living but here he was, in the flesh. That damn red folder in his hands.

Alex closed the door gently as he got out of the car. “Guerin,” he greeted tersely.

“What the hell is this?” Michael waved the folder in the air. 

“Thought it was pretty self explanatory,” Alex slowly closed the distance between them. “You’ve sent me enough copies over the years I figured you’d recognize the gesture.”

Michael pressed the folder into his chest with a glare. “I don’t want a divorce.”

Alex barked out a harsh laugh even as his hand came up to hold Michael’s in place. “ _Now_ you don’t want a divorce? You’ve been asking for one for years but now that my best friend told me you two are starting a relationship, _now_ you want to stay married?”

Michael looked away and shook his head. “Maria was wrong.”

“No,” Alex shook his head. “I think she was just the one brave enough to tell me to my face.”

“I don’t want to date Maria!” Michael shouted. His hand jolted a bit and the movement reminded Alex that they were still standing in the same position; barely a foot apart with Michael’s hand clutched in his and pressed against his heart, their divorce papers in his grip. “I kissed her, yes. And we said we would talk but then things got crazy and we never got a chance but, Alex, I don’t want to date her. And I sure as hell don’t want a divorce.”


	40. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> speculation based off of s2e1 promo photos
> 
> option #2: re-enlistment papers

Alex fingered his gun and debated taking it with him. The pounding on the door was loud and insistent, the door shaking in its frame. He was about to pick it up when he heard-

“Dammit, Alex!” 

He left the gun in the drawer and yanked the front door open, narrowly avoiding Michael’s fist in his face. “Guerin?”

“What the hell is this?” Michael held up a red folder and waved it in the air. Alex’s heart sunk as he recognized it.

“Where did you get that?”

“In the damn bunker where do you think?” Michael glared. “What are you doing? Why on Earth would you sign up for more?”

Alex brushed past him and down the stairs. He felt boxed in by Michael’s anger and he didn’t want to have this conversation inside. 

“Alex?” Alex whirled around. The anger was gone from Michael’s voice, leaving only misery and defeat. “Why?” Michael had followed him off of the porch but he stood a ways away, his shoulders slumped.

“Because Project Shepherd is a military operation, Michael,” Alex explained softly. “I can’t bring it down as a civilian.” Michael flinched. 

“Are you saying you’re doing this for me? Because fuck that.” And the anger was back.

“It’s done.” Alex nodded at the folder. “That’s just my copy of the paperwork.”

Michael looked down as if surprised he was still holding it. He blinked a few times and shook his head before looking up at Alex. “Were you going to tell me?”

“I don’t know,” Alex answered honestly. “I figured it would be apparent soon enough.”

Michael shook his head and closed the gap between them before pressing the folder into Alex’s chest. Alex’s hand automatically came up to hold his in place. “You’re always trying to leave, aren’t you?”

“I’m just trying to keep you safe.”


	41. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> speculation based off of s2e1 promo photos
> 
> option #3: Project Shepherd files (Mara)

Michael didn’t look up at him as he approached, too engrossed in the contents of a certain red folder to even notice Alex was in front of him.

“Guerin?” Alex sighed after a minuted. He’d left the folder at the scrapyard so they wouldn’t have to see each other. Trust Michael to screw up his carefully laid plans of self preservation.

“My name is Rath?” Michael asked in a small voice. “She used to sing to me?”

Alex carefully sat next to him on the stairs and glanced at the page Michael had up. It was a transcript of a night about 20 years earlier when Mara had awoken in her cell and starting singing to her son. Alex had timed it to the night the three had emerged from their pods but he had no idea how Mara could’ve known.

“I thought you’d want to know,” he said eventually.

Michael flipped the folder closed and stood up, shaking his head. “Why would I want to know? She’s dead! It doesn’t matter!” His eyes were red and Alex knew he was on the brink.

“She was your mom,” he explained quietly. “Anything is better than nothing, right? You’ve always hated not knowing.”

“Don’t,” Michael snapped. “Don’t say that like you-”

Alex closed his eyes briefly before pushing to his feet. Michael offered a hand to steady him and Alex took it gratefully. It had been a long day and he was tired. When he was standing under his own power, Michael pressed the folder into his chest. Instinctively, Alex reached up and held Michael’s hand in place. “Take it,” Michael whispered. “And don’t- don’t show me anything else.” 


	42. Malex (Liz POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ft Alex's reaction to Michael's newly healed hand

If she was being honest, Liz had tuned Michael out a long time ago. She’d called everyone to Max’s to tell them about- to show them Rosa and Michael had been yelling since he walked in the door. Liz hadn’t even had to tell him. Not like she did for Isobel. He knew. As soon as he saw Rosa he knew. And then he started yelling.

A gentle touch on her arm made her look to her right. “How do we feel about Kyle nowadays?” Rosa asked with a jerk of her head. Liz followed the motion to see Kyle standing in the doorway staring at Rosa, his jaw hanging open. Alex pushed him into the room and followed slowly.

Liz wasn’t sure what to do with Alex’s presence, what that meant for the alien secret, but it would be pretty hard to stick the Rosa-genie back in the box at this point. Not that he was looking at her. As Kyle made his way to Liz and Rosa, Alex checked on Isobel. She was curled up in a large chair, a blanket wrapped around her until only her face was visible. She ignored Alex as she’d been ignoring everyone since Liz told her about Max.

“Rosa?” Kyle asked, incredulous.

“Val-” Rosa stopped. “Hi Kyle. I’d say long time no see but I saw you like yesterday so…”

Kyle hugged her.

Rosa froze and looked at Liz with wide eyes before patting Kyle’s back awkwardly. “Did you miss me or something?”

Kyle pulled back sheepishly and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Just hard to believe. What happened?”

“Max!” Michael yelled, suddenly paying attention. “Fucking _Max_!” Liz closed her eyes against the sudden sharp pain. “Went and got himself juiced up with a bonus god complex! He-”

His sudden silence after untold minutes of his voice filling the room was jarring. Liz lifted her head and looked over only to stare in surprise.

Michael hadn’t moved from his spot by the window but where he’d been pacing just a moment ago now he was frozen, his left wrist held captive in Alex’s. Alex was staring at his hand like he’d never seen it before.

No one said a word as they watched the two men frozen in a strange tableau. Michael let out a shuddering breath as Alex stayed silent, his eyes not moving from Michael’s hand. After a moment, Michael slowly curled his fingers into a clenched fist and Liz realized what was wrong. Michael hadn’t been able to make a fist with that hand in ten years.

As he uncurled his fingers Alex stroked the previously damaged side with his thumb, seemingly captivated by the unblemished skin. “He-”

“I told him not to,” Michael replied. “I beg-” he cleared his throat. “He didn’t care. Just grabbed my hand and voila. Looks like new.”

Alex’s head jerked up for the first time and he stared at Michael with an intense gaze that made Liz feel like an interloper. “ _Looks_?”

Michael shrugged and tried to pull away but Alex pressed down harder on his hand and he flinched. Hard. “He didn’t heal it,” Alex sounded horrified. “He healed the skin but-”

“Yeah well,” Alex let go as he pulled his hand away again. Michael squeezed his fist a few times as if surprised he could. She imagined he was. Alex watched him carefully, a strange look settling on his face that Liz didn’t recognize. She almost didn’t recognize him at all right now. “Don’t,” Michael said wearily. Something in his voice told Liz that he recognized the look, he knew this Alex. “He’s dead, Alex. Just- don’t.”

Alex nodded slowly but Liz wasn’t sure if he was actually agreeing. Michael made a noise and rolled his eyes, obviously seeing the same thing she was.

“Damn Alex,” Rosa broke the moment and stole both men’s attention. “When did you get scary?”


	43. Malex

“It’s kind of weird,” Kyle mused as he sipped his shake.

“What is?” Maria asked.

Kyle shrugged. “Out of all of us, only Liz and I went to college.” Alex raised his eyebrows in surprised. They hadn’t been talking about college at all but even so, Kyle was wrong.

“…what?” Liz stared at him. “Where’d that come from?”

Kyle pointed at the bulletin board Arturo had set up against the far wall. It was currently covered in college brochures and a flyer for an upcoming college fair. “When we were in high school, college almost felt mandatory, you know? Like it was expected, but-”

“Maybe for you,” Maria cut him off. “I never had any expectations of going to college.” That wasn’t strictly true, though, and they all knew it. Maria had had her dream college picked out in 7th grade only for her mother’s condition to get worse and worse until it was clear Maria couldn’t leave Roswell. She’d given up her hopes for college after that and pretended they’d never existed.

Kyle wisely said nothing. “I misspoke. College was something that almost every adult pushed us for, whether we really wanted to go or not, and it seemed inevitable that we all would. But out of our little group, most of us don’t have a degree of any kind and everyone’s doing just fine.”

Liz thought for a moment. “I know Max didn’t go to college.”

“Michael didn’t either,” Maria added. Alex looked at her in surprise. “He’s never left Roswell.”

“Did Isobel?” Liz asked. “Where’d she meet Noah?”

Maria shook her head. “Max, Isobel, and Michael all stayed in town. None of them left. I think she met Noah when he moved here a few years after we graduated but honestly I wasn’t paying attention so I don’t really know.”

“And Alex and Jenna,” Kyle gestured across the table to him. “Both of you enlisted out of high school, right?” Alex nodded. He didn’t have a college degree, true, but he did have a series of technical schools and advanced training under his belt that let him become an officer. He knew Jenna didn’t even have that. 

Maria hummed. “Just goes to show that you don’t need a fancy piece of paper to make something of yourself.”

“Who doesn’t need a piece of paper?” Max appeared at the end of their table, Isobel just behind him on her phone. Liz smiled and turned her face up for a kiss; Max quickly complied. 

“We were just talking about how most of us didn’t go to college,” Maria explained. “None of you went, right?”

Max shook his head. “Michael had a full ride to UNM at one point but he ended up staying in town and not going. Isobel and I never even really planned to go.”

Alex stared at him, perplexed. Across from him, Kyle replied, “so it is just me and Liz.”

Max laughed. “And you two overachievers couldn’t stick to just one degree. No, you had to go get enough for all of us.”

Alex was confused.

—

There were two customers waiting when Alex got to Sanders’. He’d left the Crashdown and driven straight over, playing the conversation over in his head. According to Max, Michael had gotten a full ride to UNM and just given it up to stay in Roswell. He never attended even a single college class. And yet Alex distinctly remembered listening to many a late night phone conversation in which Michael complained about his homework. So either Michael had lied to Alex for six years or he’d been lying to his siblings for even longer. 

He wasn’t sure which was worse.

Michael caught his eye when Alex got out of the car, an eyebrow raised in question. Alex looked at the line forming and shook his head before nodding at the Airstream in question. Michael looked at the Airstream as if confused to see it sitting right where he left it before shrugging. Alex took it for permission and went inside, the door slamming shut behind him.

The urge to snoop was overwhelming. He had a while before Michael would be free to talk and the whole trailer to himself. Plus, he was fairly certain Michael wouldn’t even be that mad if he caught him at it. Still, he sat down on Michael’s bed and waited.

And waited.

It was almost two hours before the door opened and Michael stepped inside, his hair and shirt wet with sweat.

“There’s another car pulling in but I’ve got a few minutes. What’s up?” Michael pulled a bottle of water out of the small fridge and started chugging it.

“Did you go to college?” Alex blurted out.

Michael slowly lowered the bottle. “Yes? Why? You know I did.”

“I thought I knew,” Alex semi-corrected. “Until Max swore that you turned down your full ride.”

Michael looked at him quizzically. “Why were you talking to Max about me and college?”

“It was part of a larger conversation. Kyle noticed that few among our group have college degrees. He thinks it’s just him and Liz. Max stopped by while we were having lunch and said you got the full ride but turned it down. So now I ask, did you lie to me for all those years or are you lying to everyone else?”

“I’m not lying,” Michael argued, oddly defensive. “I have my degree, two of them in fact. I just did it all online and never had to go to Albuquerque so Max assumed i gave up the full ride.” He shrugged a shoulder. “He and Isobel never really asked, okay? And it wasn’t like I was going to shout it from the rooftops that I had to take online classes.”

“You didn’t _have_ to,” Alex argued softly. “You could’ve gone to campus.”

Michael shook his head. “The scholarship covered tuition and books, not room and board. I couldn’t afford to live on campus or near it. Plus, after Rosa it just made more sense for me to stick around town. Online worked for me.”

“Yeah, it got you your Bachelor’s and your Master’s,” Alex agreed. He paused. “You should tell them.”

“Why?” Michael sounded honestly bewildered. 

“So they can congratulate you? It’s not easy to work full time _and_ be a full time student but you pulled it off for six years. It’s impressive, Guerin.”

Michael shrugged. “It’s in the past. I graduated years ago.”

Alex hummed. “Well. In case I never said it. I’m proud of you.”

“Yeah?” Michael looked up at him, his cheeks coloring.

“Yeah,” Alex told him sincerely.

A sharp honk from outside stopped them from saying anything else. “I should get back to work,” Michael jerked a thumb at the door.

“Yeah. Yeah, sorry for bothering you,” Alex apologized. “I was just really confused after lunch and…”

“It’s fine,” Michael promised. “Really. I just was expecting something more along the lines of your dad created a bio weapon that specifically targets alien DNA. Not ‘did I go to college’.” He smiled, though.

Another honk, somehow louder this time. Alex laughed and made his goodbyes.


	44. Malex

“Marry me.”

Michael turned around, a surprised laugh on his face. “What?”

Alex looked up at him from his chair and repeated, “marry me.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Your reason for proposing is _why not_?”

Alex smiled softly. “I love you.” Michael’s heart did that familiar stutter it always did when hearing those words from Alex’s lips. “I intend to love you for the rest of my life and I want to spend that time with you. So marry me.”

“Yeah, okay, sure.” Any attempt at nonchalance was instantly belied by the bright grin he couldn’t keep off of his face. Alex’s lips spread in a mirror image.

“What a response,” he teased. “I’m so lucky.”

Michael rolled his eyes and leaned over Alex’s chair, his hands braced on the arms. “Alex?” Alex hummed. “I intend to love you for the rest of my life, too.”

“Oh good,” Alex replied lightly. “Very convenient. Would have been a little awkward if it was just me.”

Michael kissed him. He couldn’t not. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Alex arched an eyebrow. He stole another kiss before Michael could respond.

“Yes, I will marry you.”

“Oh good,” Alex kissed him again. “Was really hoping you would say that.”

Michael laughed and let Alex pull him into yet another kiss.


	45. Michael & Alex (tw: minor ptsd re: Michael's hand)

It was strange, how something could affect you without really knowing it. Alex had survived his fair share of traumatic experiences with a boatload of issues but not much fanfare. 

This, this he wasn’t expecting. This, he had no idea about. Not until it happened.

It was a joke. He _knew_ it was a joke, it was painfully obvious, and yet. 

They’d all been gathered at Max’s house, one of their weekly ‘meetings’ which were really an excuse to get together and act like the friends they were supposed to be, and a picture frame had fallen off of the wall when Maria knocked into it. She was immediately apologetic and demanded a hammer and a new nail to put it back up right away. Max tried to get her to let it go, saying he’d fix it later, but she wanted to fix what she’d broken so eventually he acquiesced. 

Liz and Michael distracted her just as she was about to hit the nail and the hammer made a dent in the drywall next to it instead. Maria whirled on them, the hammer still in her hand, and pointed it at them. Well. At Michael since he was closer to her. 

And Alex stopped breathing.

Michael was laughing, there was a poorly hidden smile on Maria’s face, and the hammer wagged in the air in front of Michael’s face harmlessly, but- 

Hammer. Michael.

Alex was out of his chair and across the room before he even decided to move. He ripped the hammer from Maria’s hands and stared at it while everyone stared at him.

“Alex? What-” Maria’s voice barely registered beyond the thunder of his own heartbeat, even though she was right next to him.

Alex decided abruptly that he couldn’t be in this room., couldn’t be around everyone. He about ran for the patio doors and chucked the hammer to the ground as he fled around the side of the house.

Breathing came back to him slowly. At first, it was just a few shaky inhales but gradually they got smoother until he didn’t have to think about it anymore.

“You okay?” Kyle asked softly from beside him. Alex flinched. Kyle took a half step back, his hands rising gently in the air between them. “Alex?”

“I’m fine,” he lied blatantly.

“You can tell me to fuck off,” Kyle told him mildly, “but don’t lie to me. Not like this. You’re not fine.”

“Fine. Fuck off.” It came out rather more weary than he had intended. Kyle didn’t move. “Not now. Please, just-”

Kyle nodded and took another half step back but then hesitated. “I don’t want to-”

“I believe he told you to fuck off, Valenti,” Michael’s voice reached them before he did, his shadowy form appearing around the corner, lit only by the moon. 

“Not the time, Guerin,” Kyle bit out. He looked down at the hammer in Michael’s hands. “What the hell are you doing?”

Michael leveled a steely gaze at him. “Fuck off, Valenti.” Kyle squared his shoulders and opened his mouth to protest.

“Kyle,” Alex cut him off. “Go back inside. Please.”

Kyle hesitated another moment before finally leaving.

“Why do you have that?” Alex asked as soon as he was gone. He couldn’t even look at the hammer.

Michael came around until he was in front of Alex but a few feet away. Alex wasn’t sure if he was grateful for the distance or not. “It’s just a hammer, Alex.”

“I know that,” he closed his eyes. “I don’t have a problem with hammers, I don’t, I just- seeing it- I didn’t even see Maria holding it, okay? I just saw a hammer in the air and you and I-”

There was a distant thump off to his right and Alex opened his eyes to see Michael’s hands suddenly empty.

“Took me two years before I could pick one up,” he admitted softly. “I never saw it so I didn’t think it would be an issue but the first time I went to hammer something and I had to hold it in place with my left hand…” he shook his head. “Took me two years,” he repeated.

“What helped?” Alex wasn’t sure he would ever be in this position again, seeing someone wave a hammer at Michael, but once was more than enough. He still didn’t quite feel like he had his breath back or his heartbeat steady.

Michael shrugged. “Forced myself to get over it, I guess. I worked around it as long as I could but it got to a point out at the ranch that I either needed to get over it or get a different job and I couldn’t get a different job so…”

Alex couldn’t imagine forcing himself to get over this, especially not alone. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out and grabbed the front of Michael’s flannel and pulled him into a hug. Michael watched him warily but didn’t fight it as Alex wrapped his arms around his shoulders. He stood stiff under Alex’s touch for a long moment, long enough that Alex almost pulled away, before winding his arms around his waist. At first the touch was light, like he might hug Liz, but then his grip tightened and suddenly they were holding on to each other for dear life. They buried their faces in each other’s necks and held on like they’d never been able to do in the past.

Slowly, Alex felt his heart calm and his breaths even out. His chest stopped hurting. And still, he held on. He’d feel awkward about it but Michael didn’t make any move to let him go either.

“I don’t think I can go back in there,” Alex admitted quietly. “They’re going to have questions and I can’t-”

“So don’t,” Michael murmured, his words muffled by Alex’s shirt. “They’re going to ask whenever they see you just get it over with now and tell them all to fuck off.”

Alex rolled his heads and pressed his forehead to Michael’s shoulder. “I can’t just tell them to fuck off, I had a fucking panic attack at the sight of a hammer.”

“So? Not their business, Alex.”

Alex didn’t answer. It wasn’t their business but he still felt weird about dismissing the whole thing. Slowly, they pulled apart until they were no longer touching, the moonlight just enough to see each other’s faces by. Michael rubbed his thumb across Alex’s cheek, the finger coming away wet. Alex blinked at it in surprise before wiping away the rest of the tears.

“It’s okay,” Michael said softly. 

It wasn’t, but Alex appreciated the gesture.

“Alex?” Maria’s voice came around the corner and both Michael and Alex took a small step back from each other. Maria appeared a moment later, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, held together in front of her in one hand. “Kyle told us to leave you alone but you’ve been out here a while…” She held his jacket in her free hand and Alex suddenly realized how cold it was out here. He hadn’t noticed when he’d been wrapped up in Michael’s arms but, bereft of them now, the chilly night was making itself known. 

He took the jacket from her and gave her a smile small. “Thanks. We were just about to come back inside.”

Maria looked between him and Michael and nodded before turning and leading the way back inside. Kyle must have said something because once they got back in the house, everyone acted so painfully normal. It was obvious they all had questions and wanted to ask them but no one did and Alex was grateful. He wasn’t sure he’d ever really be able to talk about what had happened with anyone but Michael and mostly because he didn’t actually have to talk about it with Michael. He just knew.


	46. Malex (Secret Marriage + Maria POV + Miluca)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just get home as soon as possible, okay?!”

“Just get home as soon as possible, okay?!” Maria paused a moment and then hung up. 

“Everything okay?” Liz asked from behind her. Maria whirled to see her, Kyle, and Alex settling onto stools on the other side of the bar. 

Maria pasted a fake smile on her face. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“You sounded worried,” Kyle added, concern on his face.

“It’s nothing,” Maria waved him off. “Michael’s running a little late is all.” She shrugged, trying to hide her nervous energy. “And he didn’t answer when I called.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Liz assured her. “You know Michael, punctuality isn’t exactly his strong suit. How late is he?”

Maria swallowed. “About nine hours? We were supposed to meet for lunch.”

Instantly, Liz and Kyle’s faces dropped while Alex’s took on a pinched expression. “We can go look for him,” Kyle offered. “Where was he?”

“He stayed at the Airstream last night,” Maria told him. “He had to work early.”

Liz looked confused. “When I talked to him last night he said he had the day off today. He was going to come by the lab after lunch if he didn’t have any other plans. When he didn’t show up I assumed he found something else to do.”

Alex’s phone rang loudly and he snatched it off the bar. “Hello?” He half turned away from them. “This is he.” Maria was about to ignore him, give him his privacy, but there was a shift in his tone that perked her interest. And not just hers. In unison, she, Liz, and Kyle turned to stare at Alex as he listened to the person on the other end of the phone, his face growing graver by the second. “Yes, I understand. I’ll be there shortly. When I get there I want Kyle Valenti to take over as his primary doctor.” He paused. “It wasn’t a request.” He hung up and looked up at them. “Michael’s in the hospital. He got in a car accident on the edge of town earlier and someone spotted him and brought him in a little while ago.” 

Maria didn’t have time to wonder why they called Alex as they all hurried out to their cars and drove over to the hospital. The four of them practically ran inside when they parked. In part out of concern for his safety but also out of concern for his secret. They needed to get Kyle in there before any other doctor noticed something off about Michael. Inside, Kyle hurried off behind the Medical Personnel Only doors while the other three went straight up to the desk.

“Michael Guerin?” Maria asked. “He was brought in from a car accident?”

The nurse typed on her computer before looking at them. “And you are?”

“Alex Manes,” Alex spoke up. “You called me.”

“Ah yes, Mr. Manes. Your husband hasn’t been admitted yet. If you wait a few moments I can have someone escort you back to see him.”

Maria’s brain short circuited. All she could hear was ‘your husband’ on loop.

“They can come too, right? They’re family.” Alex gestured to Liz and Maria.

The nurse looked at them. “We only allow one visitor per patient in the ER but if they want to go back for a minute that should be fine.”

“Thank you,” Alex told her sincerely. He stepped to the side and pulled Liz and Maria with him so the person behind them could speak to the nurse. 

“Husband?” Liz asked when Maria’s voice failed her. “What’s that about? Did you forge his records so he’d have family to go see him if something happened?” Maria clung to that half-insane but potentially sensible explanation.

For all of two seconds before Alex shot it to hell. “Yeah, sure. We went to the county courthouse six years ago and signed a marriage certificate for the sole person of this situation right here.”

“Mr. Manes?” A voice called. A moment later they were being led to Michael’s bedside. 

He looked awful. Maria had to stifle a gasp at the wounds on his face and arms. “The windows on the truck shattered,” Kyle’s voice came from behind them. He stepped around Liz and up next to Michael’s side. He was still wearing his street clothes but he had his lab coat on. “Multiple abrasions on the hands and face but the biggest issue is the steering column crushed his chest. They want to do surgery,” Kyle quickly explained. His face twisted a bit. “But he’s not in critical condition so they need his husband to sign off on it.” Everyone looked to Alex with wide eyes.

“So how do I get him out of here?” Alex asked. “Can I just refuse medical services and put him in the car or…?”

“Technically, you can do that,” Kyle agreed slowly. “But he needs this surgery. If Max were here it would be a different story but without him…”

Alex’s eyes took on a steely quality. “Can you do the surgery by yourself? With no one else in the room?” Kyle shook his head. “Then no. No way in hell.”

“Alex, he needs-” Maria started to beg. She cut herself off when Alex turned his gaze on her.

“Do you know what they’ll find if they cut him open? Because I do. And I know what will come after that. So no. No surgery. We figure something else out.” He looked to Liz. “Call Isobel.”

“He could die,” Maria cried as quietly as she could. “Are you really going to let that happen?”

“If my options are let him die or let his secret be revealed and have who knows what happen as a result? Yes.”


	47. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “i told you not to fall in love with me”

“Why are you doing this, Alex?!” Michael shouted. Everyone in the room flinched. “Are you really in that much of a hurry to die?”

“I’m not trying to die,” Alex replied calmly. It was infuriating how even his voice was while Michael felt like he was breaking apart. “But it’s the only option we have.”

“Sending yourself into a war zone with only your father as backup? That is not an option that is fucking suicide,” Michael spat. “Why the hell would you even consider it let alone agree to it?”

That got a reaction. Alex’s face lost its calm veneer and his eyes turned angry. “You know damn well why! Don’t pretend you don’t.”

“Alex-” Liz stood up, worry writ large on her face. Michael and Alex ignored her.

“Oh don’t tell me you’re doing this for me. Don’t put that on my shoulders.”

Alex scoffed. “It’s not on you. It’s on me. I’m the one making stupid choices to protect the one I love, not you.”

Michael shook his head. “I told you not to fall in love with me.”

“And I told you it was already too late.” Alex sighed and took a step back. “I’m doing this, Guerin. There’s a chance I could die, yes, but I’m a soldier and there’s always that chance. But the guaranteed trade off is that you will live. And that’s something I can live with.”


	48. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you even still love me?”

It had been a hard year all around. After Caulfield, and then Noah and Max, Michael’s world had fallen apart and he’d tried to take as many people down with him as possible. He’d nearly succeeded. Maybe not in bring _them_ down so much as bringing his relationships with everyone. He tried dating Maria, which was great for all of the two minutes he was sober for it. In the aftermath of its fiery demise, he’d lost one of his best friends. They still couldn’t be around each other for very long and he honestly couldn’t say when they’d last had a conversation.

Isobel had stuck around only because they were all each other had. If he had been anyone else, Michael was positive that she would have thrown him out her life months ago. Every problem they came across (which seemed to be a never ending list), he just made worse. She had enough to deal with and still somehow, she put up with him. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve her.

Everyone else avoided him unless they needed his help. For all that Isobel’s powers had grown, he was still better at telekinesis, still had more power and control. He could see it on Liz’s face sometimes that they all wished they didn’t need him but it was unavoidable. He wasn’t sure whether or not to be grateful. If he wasn’t needed, he’d never see anyone, just fall further into his pit of loneliness. But if he wasn’t needed, he wouldn’t have to see their faces and know how worthless he was in their eyes.

“When was the last time you ate?” Michael jolted in surprise, hard enough that he nearly fell off of his small bunk.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He asked, his voice rough with disuse. He wasn’t sure when he’d last spoken to someone. “When did you get here?”

Alex stared down at him dispassionately. “A few minutes ago. You seemed out of it. When was the last time you ate?” He asked again. His eyes raked over Michael’s body but they didn’t leave that warm feeling they used to. Now he just felt cold. “Or showered?”

Michael shrugged. “What’s it to you?”

Alex clenched his jaw, visibly holding back his response. Wordlessly, he tossed a take out bag onto the bunk. “Eat something, Guerin. Take a shower. Change your clothes.” Michael expected him to leave now but he didn’t even more.

“Sure,” Michael muttered. “I’ll get right on that.” He made a shooing motion. “You can go. You’ve done your good deed.” 

“Eat the damn burger,” Alex ordered. 

Michael didn’t touch the bag. “What are you doing here, Alex?”

Alex gazed at him evenly. “Bringing you dinner.” He looked at the bag deliberately then back at Michael.

“No, I mean, _why_ are you here? Why do you care? Do you even still love me? Is that what this is? Some misguided guilt or whatever?”

Alex took the two steps necessary to plant himself in front of Michael and gently cupped his face. “I don’t know if the alcohol and acetone have destroyed your brain but don’t ever ask me that again. The answer hasn’t changed since I was 17.” His fingers clutched tighter. “Now. Get up. Eat some food. And take a fucking shower. I’m done letting you wallow.”


	49. Malex (Maria POV + Miluca)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh honey, I’d never be jealous of you.”

Maria saw Alex watching them out of the corner of her eye. She and Michael had spent a few weeks trying to be discreet but Alex had cornered them a few days earlier and assured them that they weren’t fooling anyone so they might as well stop trying. She still felt awkward being open with Michael around Alex sometimes but then Michael would turn that smile on her and she’d let it go. 

Michael mumbled something about a phone call and pressed a kiss to her cheek before slipping out the back door. In his wake, Alex and his friend (date?) came up to the bar to order another round. She filled the order quickly, making small talk with his friend. 

When the drinks were ready, his friend took them back to their table and left them alone. Maria noted how Alex kept looking back over at the back door as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Michael. “He’s cute,” she remarked, nodding at his friend. “And he seems to like you.”

Alex smiled. It wasn’t entirely pleasant. “Thank you?”

“I’m just saying,” she struggled to put her thoughts into words. “You’ve got a good guy there, there’s no need to be jealous.” As soon as the word came out of her mouth she knew she’d fucked up.

Alex laughed. “Oh honey, I’d never be jealous of you.” The back door banged open and Michael stepped back inside. He looked up and saw Alex, his entire being softening in a way she’d never seen before. “There’s nothing to be jealous _of_.” Maria turned back to him in time to see him smirk at Michael, his lips twisting in an expression she was unfamiliar with on Alex’s face. He dropped a bill on the bar and rejoined his friend. Or, _maybe it was a date after all_ , Maria mused when she saw Alex slip his hand onto the other man’s thigh. 

_At least he’s moving on_ , she thought as she turned to face Michael. But Michael wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were fixed on Alex’s table, on Alex’s hand more precisely, and he looked **pissed**.

 _Maybe she accused the wrong man of jealousy,_ Maria realized. She glanced between the two. Looking at Michael’s reaction it was easy to see that Alex was riling him up on purpose. Up until this point, Alex had shown next to no interest in his date. But it was a completely different story with Michael’s eyes on him.

Abruptly, she was done. “Michael,” she called. He didn’t say anything. She had to repeat his name twice before he looked at her. “What the hell are you doing with me if you really want to be with Alex?”

Michael shook his head and reached for her. “I don’t.”

Maria laughed. “You should tell your face that.”


	50. Chapter 50

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding/hoping not to be caught kiss

“Come here,” Alex glanced around them briefly before grabbing Michael’s collar and pulling him into a small alcove. It wasn’t much and it didn’t have a door but most people would probably overlook them. 

It was enough.

“Hi,” Michael smiled softly as he pressed Alex into the wall.

“Hi,” Alex returned. “Fancy running into you here?”

Michael laughed. “Yeah. What are the chances?” 

Alex hummed. “Pretty low, I’d say. I mean, who would ever expect you to be in a church? In a suit, no less?”

“You,” Michael nudge their foreheads together. “Only you.”

“Damn straight,” Alex agreed before leaning up to close the breath of space between them. Michael cupped his face gently and licked slowly into his mouth, making sure the kiss lasted as long as possible. 

“Michael!” Isobel’s voice echoed loudly and they both froze. They stood where they were, lips still connected even as they stared wide eyed at each other, too afraid to move. “Alex!” Her footsteps came closer. “Where the hell are they?” She asked. 

“It doesn’t look like they’re here,” Max’s voice replied. “Did you check outside? By Michael’s truck?”

They heard a snort. “I wouldn’t put it past them to sneak off right now,” Liz added.

Isobel’s frustrated groan rang out loudly. As did the clack of her heels as she hurried outside. There was another set of footsteps, Liz’s by the sound of it, that followed her. When the door slammed shut Michael and Alex separated slowly, a breathless laugh erupting from both of them.

“She’s gonna kill us,” Alex remarked idly. He didn’t look too upset by it.

“Yes, she is,” Max responded. Michael was gratified to feel Alex jolt underneath his fingertips as well. They turned to the side to see Max shaking his head at them. “Are you two really going to miss your own reception so you can make out in the corner?”

“Yes,” Alex replied simply, his grip tightening on Michael’s waist.

“It’s our wedding day and we can do whatever we want,” Michael added.

Max shook his head but he couldn’t hide his smile. “Make an appearance, yeah? Sooner rather than later so Izzy doesn’t have all our heads?”

“No promises,” Michael winked.

Alex rolled his eyes. “We’ll be there shortly. Just wanted a moment alone with my husband without every single person we know watching in.”

“Fair enough,” Max nodded. “But seriously. Not too long, okay?”

They nodded and Max left. He was barely out of sight before Michael brought their lips together again. 


	51. Kyliz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “YOU SAID TO BE HONEST STOP HITTING ME!”

“What are you thinking about over there?” Liz smiled at him from her spot by the microscope. “You’ve been lost in thought for a while.”

Kyle shrugged. “Nothing really.”

“Kyle,” she cocked her head. “You can tell me anything. Come on, be honest.”

“Honest, huh?” Kyle mused out loud. He was going to regret this, he just knew it. “If Rosa is my sister and she’s your sister does that make our relationship incest?”

Liz’s jaw dropped as she gaped at him. “Liz?” Kyle reached over when she didn’t say anything. “Did I break you?”

Liz’s mouth snapped shut as she picked up her notebook.

“You said to be honest! Stop hitting me!” Kyle cringed away from Liz’s notebook as it swatted him on the shoulder.

“You put that image in my head, you deserve it!” Liz hit him one more time before dropping the notebook onto the table. “We are not related, Kyle! Just because we share a sister, and _wow_ does that sound bad when I put it like that.” She shook her head. “We’re not doing anything wrong!”

Kyle reached out and put his hands on her hips. He ducked down to press a small kiss to the crook of her neck. “I don’t know,” he said quietly as he kissed her again, higher this time. She grumbled but she tilted her head to the side to give him more room. “I feel like it’s sort of wrong to be doing this in your lab.”

Liz groaned as he kissed that spot just behind her ear. “I hate you.” Still, her hands found their way under the hem of his t-shirt.

“No you don’t,” he laughed.

“But I sure do!” Michael answered and they sprang apart guiltily. Kyle flushed as he looked over at where Michael had been working this whole time. 

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Michael scoffed, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. “I find that hard to believe.” He tsk’ed. “And in the _lab_? Elizabeth, I am so disappointed in you. What happened to the integrity of your work space?”

Liz rolled her eyes. “The integrity of my work space was already compromised when I walked in on and you and Alex on top of the table.”

Michael pointed his pencil at her. “Technically only Alex was on the table, I was just next to it.”

Kyle shook the image from his mind. “And on that note, I’m going to find something to do that isn’t here.” He cupped Liz’s face and kissed her sweetly. “I’ll see you tonight?”

“You cooking?”

“I order some mean Thai food,” he replied. Med school had not contributed to his culinary skills in any way. Of the two of them, Liz was the chef and they both knew it.

Liz smiled and kissed him again. “I’ll call you when I leave here.”

“Sounds like a plan. See you then.” 

“See you.”


	52. Maribel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How is my wife more badass than me?”

The whole bar stood in silent awe as Maria unceremoniously tossed the three men out on their asses.

Isobel sighed. “How is my wife more badass than me?” The few people who had started to resume their conversations stopped. You could hear a pin drop as everyone turned to Isobel, Maria included.

“What?”

Iosbel’s eyes widened in realization. Briefly, she spun to stare at Michael, her eyes begging him to tell her she hadn’t said that out loud. He could only shrug helplessly, his eyes dancing and a smile tugging at his lips.

“What?” Maria asked again, closer this time. Isobel turned to see her making her way over to their table. “I must have heard you wrong, Evans.” Isobel gulped. “I could’ve sworn I heard you call me your wife?”

It wasn’t actually a question though. 

There was only one thing left to do, Isobel supposed. She squared her shoulders and wiped the fear off of her face. “Had I not gotten around to that yet?”

Maria pursed her lips and shook her head. “Nope. Think I would’ve remembered that.”

Isobel grabbed her purse and dug the ring box out. “Would explain why I’m still carrying this around then.” Maria stopped breathing, her eyes fixed to the box. The bar was still entirely silent. “I’m not getting down on one knee because these are new jeans and frankly, no offense but I don’t trust your floors.” Distantly she heard Michael cough her name in warning but she ignored him in favor of taking a step towards Maria. “I’ve already called you my wife tonight and you know how much I hate being a liar…so marry me?” Her voice got softer and higher at the end from her nerves.

Maria shook her head. “ _This_ is how you propose? This right here?”

“Well I had different plans but my mouth sort of got away from me so…” Isobel shrugged. Her plans were very vague, in truth, because she’d thought of and discarded over a dozen scenarios already. None of them had seemed good enough for Maria. 

“Fine. Far be it from me to make you into a liar,” Maria huffed.

It took a second for the words to process. “Wait. Yes?”

Maria grinned, a laugh bubbling up out of her. She nodded. “Yes. Isobel Evans, god help me,” she shook her head, “I will marry you. Now give me my damn ring.”

Isobel would. In a second. First, she had to kiss her, so she did.


	53. Chapter 53

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Have you seen my hoodie?” “Noo.” “You’re wearing it, aren’t you?”

Michael listened to the phone ring on the counter as he continued tossing his small closet around the Airstream.

“Hello?” Alex’s voice answered distantly. Michael snatched the phone up and pressed it to his ear.

“Alex!” 

“Guerin?” He could hear the furrow in Alex’s brow over the phone. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you know where my hoodie is?”

A pause.

“You’re calling _me_ to ask where you left your clothing?” Alex scoffed. “Guerin I haven’t been in Roswell in over a year.”

Michael kept searching his closet. “I know, I know. But the last time I remember seeing it was my trip up there and I just-” he stopped talking. Alex hadn’t said anything. And yet- “Alex,” he repeated calmly. “Have you seen my hoodie?” He asked again.

“No,” Alex replied instantly.

Michael closed his eyes. “You’re wearing it, aren’t you?”

“Look,” Alex was unapologetic. “Was I supposed to let it sit on my floor? It’s very comfortable. Not my fault you left it behind.”

Michael let his head thump against the closet door. “You suck.”

“It took you three months to realize it was missing,” he could hear Alex shrug. “It’s mine now.”

“You’re wearing my hoodie,” Michael stated.

“We’ve already established that,” Alex replied.

“In Colorado,” Michael continued. Alex fell silent as he realized where Michael was going with this. “And I’m in New Mexico and can’t even appreciate the view?”

“I’ll send you a picture?” Alex offered.

“You better.”


	54. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I wish we could live together already.” [*whispers* maybe something where, despite all odds, they stayed together through the years?]

The line was quiet, the air filled with the sounds of their breathing.

“When are you coming home?” Michael asked quietly. He’d asked the question before but not for some time. “I miss you. I miss your face.”

“I miss you too,” Alex replied softly. “But we both know it’s not up to me. I should get some leave soon. We can go somewhere, take a trip.” They both knew it wouldn’t be all that soon, though. No, his next opportunity for leave was months away.

“Don’t you have to come here? Maria misses you.”

Alex sighed. “I miss her too. But if I come back then you’re going to have to share me. Do you really want to do that if I’ve only got a few days?” He teased lightly.

Michael hummed, pretending to think about it. “That’s a very good point. Alright, a trip it is. Just the two of us.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Yeah it does,” Michael rolled onto his back. “Alex?” Alex hummed. “I wish we could live together already. I wish we didn’t have to wait for your service to be up.”

“You could always come here,” Alex offered, as he had before.

“Roswell’s home,” Michael replied, as he always did. The apology was clear in his voice.

“I know,” Alex promised him. “But I’m almost done. Just a few more years.”

Michael scoffed. “You say that like it’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” Alex agreed. “But we’ve gotten less years left than we’ve already gotten through. We can do this.”

Michael ran a hand over his face “I want to see you,” he whined. “When do you leave?”

“Day after tomorrow,” Alex replied. “I wish I could see you before I left.” There was a strange note in his voice.

“You’ll be fine, Alex. A few months of sun and sand and you’ll be back before you know it.”

“You’re right,” Alex agreed. “The first two tours went fine. I’m sure this one will be the same.”

“And you’ll be back before you know it,” Michael repeated.

“And then we’ll really get that sun and sand.” Alex made an appreciative noise. “I can’t wait to get you on a beach.”

Michael smiled. “Just let that image power you through the next few months, okay, Private? And I promise you’ll get to see it.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“I want you to. Be safe over there.”


	55. Maribel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “i think you might be my soulmate”

Everyone in the world was connected by strings. The strings came in different colors, from red to blue to yellow to white to something indescribable. Everyone knew the strings were there; some insisted they could feel them wrapped around their fingers or their wrists, but it was understood that few could _see_ them. The rest of the world just had to take their word on faith as to who they connected to and by which color.

Maria could see the strings. She’d always been able to. When she was a baby, she’d played with hers until she noticed how weird people around her would get. After that, she started to hide it from everyone but her mother.

Red strings were common, they connected people who loved each other. Blue was for family, yellow for friends, white for important people who defied conventional labels. The world tended to view red as the most important but white as the most coveted. Maria had never understood it, personally. Every string was equally important in her eyes. And besides, if any string should be coveted it should be the one that defied explanation. Few people had it. (In Roswell, Maria had only seen it coming from herself, Liz and Alex.) And fewer still seemed to believe in it. 

Conventional wisdom, be that as it may with a limited pool of seers and people with the strange strings, equated its presence with that of a soulmate. A connection and a love above and beyond that of every other color. 

Maria wasn’t sure she bought it. Not until the day the new kids started at school. The Evans twins.

Liz reacted to the boy, Max, immediately. Just latched on to him like they’d been friends forever. Maria eyed the string that connected them. It was loose and dull but the more they talked the more it shined.

Maria looked over to the girl, Isobel, who hovered over her brother. She seemed unwilling to let him out of her sight. She had three strings, two blue (one connected to her brother and one reaching out into the distance same as Max) and one undefinable. Maria followed that one straight into her own chest. Absently she plucked at it.

“Stop that,” Isobel barked, her voice strange like she didn’t use it very often. 

Maria looked at her with wide eyes. “You _felt_ that?”

Isobel nodded stiffly. “I don’t know what it is, though.”

“I do,” Maria suddenly _knew_. She grinned toothily. “I think you might be my soulmate.”


	56. Malex (related to Ch 55)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think you might be my soulmate.”

“Alex,” Maria sat down next to him on the curb. He had his knees tucked under him and his UFO Emporium-issued visor in his hands. 

“Maria,” he returned, not looking at her.

“It’s funny,” she said almost absently. “I’ve never seen you and Guerin together. Before prom, I mean.” Alex stiffened next to her. “I mean, I’m sure you must have spent time together considering all of your friends hang out together but I’ve never seen it or at least I’ve never really paid attention.” She and Isobel had had a rocky road ever since they were children. Despite the solid proof that they were connected, they tended to rub each other the wrong way. It had led to a decade of back-and-forth friendship and clumsy romantic and sexual experiences. And for all that Liz refused to believe in the strings (She was oddly reticent to believe that which she could not see. Maria had always found it ironic for the Catholic in her but it was perfectly in tune for the scientist she was becoming.) she and Max had been nearly inseparable since the day they’d met. It would be practically a miracle if Alex and Michael hadn’t spent any time together by this point.

“What’s your point?” Alex fiddled with the visor.

“I should have known,” she mused, hugging her knees and looking over at him. “What are the chances that the only other two people I’ve ever met with a cosmic string _wouldn’t_ be connected?”

Alex flinched. “We’re not connected,” he denied immediately. “And we’re not, what do you and Isobel call it? Soulmates?” He shook his head. “That’s not us.”

Maria hummed. “You’re wrong,” she said simply, no argument or accusation in her voice. “But that’s okay. You don’t have to believe me. Just hear me.”

“Hear you?”“

She nodded. “You know the strings are real,” it wasn’t a question but Alex nodded anyway, “and you know that I can see them.”

“No one’s ever been able to prove a cosmic string, Maria,” Alex argued wearily. Michael had been the one to name it that oddly enough. Maria had always been reluctant to call it anything but the second he’d heard about it, he’d lit up and called it cosmic. The name had stuck.

“No one’s been able to _prove_ any of the strings are real,” Maria argued. “But we know they are anyway.” She put her hand on his arm. “I’m just saying, you two are connected. If you don’t want to believe me as to what color your string is that’s fine but don’t argue with me about that. And don’t push him away.”

“Who says I’m the one pushing him away?” Alex stood up and put the visor back on. “My break’s over.” 

—

Alex could have laughed. Not an hour after Maria tried to convince him that he and Michael were cosmically connected, the boy himself stood in front of him. He was all nervous energy, his fingers twitching like he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

“So? Talk,” Alex prompted. He didn’t have long, his break already spent with Maria.

Michael hesitated for a breath before he kissed him. Alex hated to be a cliche but right now he could swear his world righted itself. Like everything just suddenly fell into place the moment Michael’s lips touched his.

Michael pulled away and smiled at him, his nerves still evident. Alex didn’t think, he just kissed him again.

“I think you might be my soulmate,” Alex sighed when they separated. Instantly, he cringed. 

Michael stroked his cheek with his thumb until Alex relaxed and looked at him. “I think you might be mine,” he agreed.


	57. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Quit touching me, your feet are cold!”

Michael was dead to the world. Another ship could crash right outside and he’d sleep right through it. Three straight days of long hours (everyone in Roswell needed their car fixed _right. now_.) Plus Isobel’s latest project for him fixing up her house and Max’s new desire to train with their powers ever day and Michael was done. Stick a fork in him. No more.

He felt the first touch on his calf and ignored it. If anything, he squeezed his eyes shut tighter and buried his face in the pillow. 

At the second touch, he jerked his leg away with a whine but still didn’t open his eyes.

It was the third touch, what felt absolutely like a deliberate stroke of ice on his foot, that got him to wake up.

“Quit touching me!” He growled. “Your toes are cold.” He caught the smirk on Alex’s face and faceplanted back into the pillow. “Alex,” he whined, the sound muffled by the fabric. 

“I’m cold,” he heard Alex pout. “And you’re hot. What good is having your own space heater in your bed if you don’t use it?” The ice was back, this time shoved between his calves. 

Michael flinched and rolled over but Alex’s foot was caught and he came with him until Alex as on top of him. He glared. Alex didn’t seem to care. “What happened to letting me sleep?”

“Hmm?” Alex pressed a kiss to his bare chest. “Yeah, that was yesterday. After 12 hours you lose the right to uninterrupted sleep in favor of warming me up.”

Michael grabbed his phone off the nightstand and sure enough, he’d gone to sleep over 12 hours before. “Shit,” he breathed. He started to sit up, gently dislodging Alex. But Alex wasn’t having any of it. He planted his hands on either side of Michael and hovered over him. 

“You have the day off and I texted Max and Isobel to leave you alone for the day. Liz too since she seemed to have figured out your work schedule and wanted some help in the lab.” He put a hand on Michael’s chest and pressed until Michael lay back down. “You need to rest.” Michael’s hands found their way to Alex’s hips and pushed until he was fully straddling him.

“I could do that,” he agreed. “But I seem to recall you asking me to warm you up?” 


	58. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You said to be honest, stop hitting me.

“If you could have sex with one of your friends without any awkwardness afterwards, who would it be?” Michael read off the card. He looked over at Alex and waggled his eyebrows. “Remember, be hone-”

“Kyle,” Alex replied immediately.

Michael dropped the card. “Take that back.”

Alex eyed him. “One time only with no weird stuff afterwards?” He gave a sharp nod. “Definitely Kyle.”

Michael grabbed the nearest object, the little pillow Alex kept on the couch for when he needed to elevate his leg, and started hitting him.

“Hey!” Alex leaned away from him. “You said to be honest! Stop hitting me!” 

Michael hit him one last time for good measure. “Take it back.”

“No,” Alex laughed. “Next card.” He reached for the stack on the table but Michael grabbed his hand out of the air and pressed it against the back of the couch.

“Take it back,” he said again.

Alex cocked his head to the side. “Why does that bother you?”

“Because-” Michael sputtered. “This puts Valenti in the same league as me!”

Alex rolled his eyes and used his free hand to grab at Michael’s waistband until he was half sprawled on Alex. “He’s not even in the same galaxy as you,” he assured him. “And if you’d asked me that question two months ago it would have been a different answer.”

“Yeah?” Michael absolutely did not pout. They’d only been together, really together, for about six weeks so he understood what Alex was trying to say. Wouldn’t hurt to hear him _actually_ say it though… “You’d have sex with me even if we were just friends?”

“I always want to have sex with you,” Alex promised. “Back then I didn’t want to ruin what we had going by introducing sex but if I could have guaranteed it wouldn’t? I would’ve fucked you in a heartbeat.”

“Oh good,” Michael kissed him. “Same.”

Alex pulled back. “ _Same_?”

“Do you want to argue my word choice or have sex?” Michael eyed him.

Alex actually looked like he was considering it. “I’m sure I can multitask.”

“Hah,” Michael scoffed. He was going to make sure Alex didn’t remember his own name.


	59. Alex & Jenna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Welcome back. Now fucking help me"

Jenna stepped away from the half-unpacked box and grabbed her sidearm. The banging at the front door was relentless.

“Jenna!” A man yelled. Jenna thought she recognized the voice but the frantic tone was unfamiliar. Still, she kept the gun ready and eased open the door. Sure enough Alex Manes stood on the other side, his hair a mes like he’d been running his fingers through it.

“My father has Michael, Max, and Isobel,” he greeted. “And we have two hours to get them out before he kills him.”

Jenna dropped the gun to her side with a heavy sigh. “I’ve been in town for _five hours.”_

“Welcome back. Now fucking help me.”

Jenna was already tucking the gun away and going for her gun case for the others. “Where’s Kyle?”

“Kyle’s a doctor,” he replied. “I need a soldier.” He bobbed his head to the side. “Also would really appreciate having someone I trust at my back while I go on a suicide mission to save these idiots.”

She grabbed everything she might need and met him back at the door. “I should start charging.”

“Send the bill to Max,” he agreed. And off they went. 


	60. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “give me attention”

Max wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Alex actually bored before. He’d thought the teenager was permanently bored in high school and too stoic for it now as a man but he was quickly learning that he didn’t know Alex Manes half as well as he thought he did.

Liz, Michael, and Kyle were running tests on a new serum that would help them recover their powers faster without requiring acetone. Everyone knew it was to help Michael go off the stuff but Liz and Kyle argued that it was simply because only a miracle had prevented anyone from noticing the three of them chugging nail polish remover until now. While they worked, Max and Alex had been going over plans to protect each of their homes and devising strategies to ensure their safety should those protections be breached. Mostly this required coming up with places to meet and ways to contact each other if they couldn’t trust their phones.

It had kept them occupied for a few hours. But they finished several hours ago. Max was reluctant to leave when the three of them were working with potentially unstable elements, in case he was needed to heal them, and because he just liked spending time with Liz and his brother. He imagined Alex had much the same motivation for sticking around.

Only Alex got bored a while ago. He’d set up camp on one side of Michael’s bunker, close to where Michael had his materials set up, and he was systematically driving his brother insane. Michael was hiding it well but, considering Max had nothing else to do but watch them work, it was fairly obvious. Most of Alex’s ministrations were hidden by the table but Michael kept shifting his weight and angling his body either towards or away from Alex depending on how distracted he was and it was fairly easy for Max to guess what was going on. The grin on Alex’s face when he successfully managed to snag Michael’s attention for a few seconds helped.

Everything about it screamed “give me attention” and if it was a fight Alex was winning hands down. Max wasn’t sure Michael had actually accomplished anything in the last five minutes. Max heard a small groan (or maybe it was a moan) and he forced himself to look over at Liz. Somehow she and Kyle seemed oblivious to what was going on on the other side of the bunker.

And then Max heard the clink of Michael’s belt being undone. “Okay!” He stood up. “Why don’t we get something to eat? Kyle? Liz? Come with me?”

“We’re in the middle of-” Liz protested.

“ _Now_?” Max cut her off with a jerk of his head at the ladder. 

“Can’t you grab us something to go?” Kyle asked. He’d hardly looked up from his microscope.

There was a sound that sounded distinctly like a zipper being undone. “No!” Max yelled. He walked over and grabbed Liz and Kyle’s arms and started tugging them to the ladder and shoving them up it one at a time.

“Max!” Liz scolded when he tried to rush her. “What is going on?”

“I’m hungry!” He made a shooing motion with his hands until she was up the ladder and outside. Kyle cast him a suspicious look but he followed without complaint.

When he was about halfway up he heard the laughter. “You could’ve just kicked us out, Max,” Michael called. They were hidden from view right now and Max sighed.

“Please disinfect this place before we get back,” he pleaded before he started climbing. Sure, he could’ve kicked Michael and Alex out but they were finally in a good place where they were comfortable with things like this in front of other people and he didn’t want to discourage it or make them think they needed to hide their relationship. Even if sometimes he would prefer if they hid some of it.


	61. Echo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Have you seen my hoodie?” “Noo.” “You’re wearing it, aren’t you?”

“Hey,” Liz answered brightly. “Have you guys left yet?”

Max pressed the phone to his ear and tuned out Michael and Isobel’s voices in the other room. “Not yet. I didn’t have time to pack so I’m throwing stuff in a bag now.”

“How much stuff do you need for two nights of camping?” Liz laughed.

“You’ve never camped with Isobel,” Max replied.

“Touche.”

“Anyway,” Max shook his head as he dug through a pile of clothes. “I was looking for my old hoodie, you know the one? I know better than to take anything I care about and it’s comfortable enough that it should be fine for nights.”

“Oookay?” Liz replied. He heard a clatter from her end like something had fallen on the table. It was quickly followed by a muffled curse.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep!” She replied immediately in that tone that just meant she was lying.

Max laughed. “If you say so. So, have you seen my hoodie?”

“Nooo,” Liz replied slowly.

Max slowly straightened up. “You’re wearing it, aren’t you?”

“It’s really comfortable,” Liz agreed. “I can bring it by before you leave if you want it,” she offered.

Max’s mind was suddenly filled with the mental image of Liz in his hoodie and nothing else. He choked. “Uh, no. That’s okay. I’ll grab something else.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” he smiled warmly and hoped she could hear it in his voice. “You keep it.”

“Well,” she said primly. “If you _insist_.”

“Ew.” Max jumped when Isobel spoke from his right. He turned to see her and Michael perched in the doorway. 

“You’re projecting, Maxwell,” Michael informed him and Max suddenly deeply regretted the training they’d put into strengthening their mental abilities.

He flushed and turned his back to them. “Liz, I’m going to go, okay? I’ll talk to you when we get back.”

“Have fun! And happy birthday.”

He thanked her and hung up.

“Hoodie, Max? Really?” Michael shook his head at him.

Isobel slowly turned on him. “Now who’s projecting?” She raised an eyebrow. “Alex has some nice legs.”

Michael shrugged, unrepentant. “Are we going camping or not?”

Max desperately wished he’d asked Liz to come by. Maybe then he could’ve talked everyone into letting her come with instead of leaving him with a psychically super powered Michael and Isobel for two days.

“Don’t be like that, Max!” Michael called from somewhere in the house. “It’s our birthday! No significant others allowed.”

Max smiled in spite of himself. Maybe a weekend with just his siblings wouldn’t be too bad.

His phone beeped with a message from Liz.

_Enjoy the weekend with your siblings. We’ll celebrate when you get back <3_


End file.
